Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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84. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of posts and the budget allocated to career guidance in the further and vocational education sector in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25884/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Guidance is provided in the Further Education and Training sector through the Adult Education Guidance and Information Service and through the guidance allocations to Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) Colleges.

SOLAS, through the ETBs, funds the provision of an Adult Education Guidance and Information Service that provides a comprehensive, professional quality guidance and information service to the returning adult learner. This service is open to those who;

- are currently on Literacy, BTEI, Community Education and VTOS programmes

- wish to return to learning but do not know what to do or where to start looking

- left school early and wish to continue with their education and training

- are in receipt of social welfare benefits or who are dependent on someone who is in receipt of social welfare benefits

SOLAS allocated €6.4m to the 16 Education Training Boards in respect of Adult Guidance in 2017. In regard to Adult Guidance posts, the information is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Guidance was also provided to PLC providers via the post primary teacher allocation system for the 2017/2018 school year for the sector as defined in Circular 12/2017. Guidance is a whole school activity where each school collaboratively develops a whole-school school guidance plan as a means of supporting the needs of students. A separate guidance allocation is given by reference to the following table which sets out the basis for calculation by reference to the approved enrolment on in September each year, including PLC students. There are over 30,000 PLC places attracting the guidance allocation.

Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) reduction to restore Guidance Provision