Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 89: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the damage being done to the future of a college (details supplied) in County Dublin as a result of her decision to cut back on apprentice provision for the academic years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 which means that 9.6 teachers will lose their jobs, thereby resulting in the discontinuation of many of the established successful courses in a wide range of areas; if her further attention has been drawn to the fact that this is happening when there is growing unemployment in the country, and also when the Department of Social Protection intends taking action against persons in receipt of lone parent allowance and jobseeker's' allowance who refuse to take up further educational courses such as those that are being provided in the college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24964/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the downturn in the construction sector has resulted in a significant fall off in the numbers of apprentices being recruited nationally. The number of FÁS registered apprentices requiring education and training has dropped from 8,300 in 2006 to 1,535 in 2009, a reduction of more than 80%. Construction related trades have been particularly affected.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has consulted widely with individual institutions on the impact of the reduction in these numbers on the level of apprenticeship provision in the education sector. Having regard to the inputs received, and to enable the necessary reductions in education provision for the construction and related trades to be implemented on an objective basis across the country, an independent evaluation panel was established to advise the HEA in relation to the appropriate levels of provision which should be maintained within the education sector having regard to likely future demand to 2014. The college referred to by the Deputy was informed earlier this year of the independent panel's allocation of the available apprenticeship provision to that institution for the 2014/15 academic year.

The education requirement for apprentices is expected to drop further before picking up to the levels of provision required for the 2014/15 academic year and I understand that all colleges have been briefed on the potential difficulties and constraints in attempting to distribute the reduced number of blocks between now and 2014/15.

The college referred to by the Deputy is an approved PLC centre which is managed and funded by Dun Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee (VEC) from grants provided by my Department. PLC providers, mainly VECs, submit applications annually for an allocation of approved PLC places. In respect of VECs further distribution of these places to their schools or colleges is a matter for each VEC. Staff are allocated to deliver PLC courses on the basis of a pupil teacher ratio (PTR) of 17:1 (compared to the 19:1 PTR that applies to second level teaching). For the 2009/2010 academic year, Dun Laoghaire VEC was allocated over 100 extra PLC places (including 75 from the 1,500 additional places announced as part of the 2009 Supplementary Budget), bringing its total allocation of approved PLC places to 2,151. That allocation is being maintained for the 2010/2011 academic year.

Each VEC is an independent statutory body established under the Vocational Education Act 1930. My Department has no direct involvement in the deployment of teachers within individual VECs. Teacher allocations to all VECs are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment and, in accordance with these rules, each VEC is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are a matter for the individual VECs.