Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of persons in receipt of the vocational training opportunities scheme in 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; the number in receipt broken down by county; the total costs of the payment in 2010, 2011 and estimated total costs in 2012; his plans for the future of the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47526/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The VTOS programme provides second chance education and training courses of up to two years duration for people who are 21 years of age or over, and who are at least six months unemployed.

People participating in VTOS who are in receipt of Jobs Seekers Benefit (JA) or Job Seekers Allowance (JB) receive a payment in lieu of this from the VEC for the duration of their course. These payments are funded by my Department.
People participating in VTOS who are in receipt of a Disability Allowance or One Parent Family Payment continue to receive their payment from the Department of Social Protection.
My Department provided a total of €79 million in each of the years 2010 and 2011 for the VTOS programme. This included pay and non-pay costs and included €47 million for allowances paid to learners who were formerly in receipt of JA/JB payments. A similar budget has been provided for 2012.
In 2010, there were 5,702 learners enrolled on the VTOS programme, 4,251 of whom were in receipt of a VTOS training allowance from VECs. In 2011, there were 5,650 learners enrolled on the VTOS programme, 4,211 of whom were in receipt of a VTOS training allowance from VECs.
The breakdown of VTOS learners by County in 2010 and 2011 is listed as follows. The breakdown for 2012 is not yet available.