Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 184: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Mayo has not been approved by him for any of the post-leaving certificate courses for which it has applied and the additional requirements of the school to meet the Department's requirements. [19769/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The school referred to by the Deputy is a voluntary secondary school in County Mayo that applied, for the first time, in 2010 and again in 2011 for sanction to operate PLC courses. The school was advised by my Department that the 31,688 approved places were fully utilised and that no additional PLC places were available.

Each application is examined by my Department on its merits, taking into account current and previous allocations, current and previous demand and uptake, the overall places available and the overall demand from providers generally. Regard is also had in this context to ensuring appropriate provision on a geographic basis and the necessary critical mass for delivery of a quality education service.

County Mayo has an allocation of 725 PLC places for the 2011/2012 academic year. There are currently 13 PLC providers in Co. Mayo, 7 schools managed by Co. Mayo VEC, including one in the same town as the school referred to by the Deputy, 4 voluntary secondary schools and 2 community and comprehensive schools. Given the number of providers offering PLC courses in County Mayo my Department considers that sanction for an additional provider is not warranted.