Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 249: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who undertook a post leaving certificate course in the academic year 2009-2010 on a county basis; the ratio of the persons attending each course to the overall number who live in that county; the cost per head of a student on a PLC course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19390/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy in relation to enrolments in Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) and population, broken down by county, is included by way of a table below. Approval of PLC places involves incurring expenditure on teacher salaries, non-pay funding and means tested student support grants. Teachers are appointed to deliver PLC courses on the basis of a pupil teacher ratio of 17:1 compared to the 19:1 ratio that applies to second level teaching. In addition, non pay funding related to student numbers is also provided. Finally, students who satisfy the terms of the student support schemes are eligible to receive maintenance grants. Taking all these factors into account it is estimated that approval for each additional 1,000 PLC places costs about €8 million.