Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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258. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware that there is an inconsistency in entry requirements for Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programmes across State-funded providers (details supplied); whether he considers this inconsistency to be consistent with the founding purpose of the PLC programme, which was established to serve as a second-chance education route for adult learners who may not have accessed or completed formal secondary education; and whether he will confirm that, in line with the programme's original intent as documented in research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (McGuinness et al., 2019), no adult learner over the age of 18 should be required to hold a Leaving Certificate or equivalent as a precondition for entry to a PLC programme where they can demonstrate readiness to engage with the course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52239/26]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) programmes are a key component of the Further Education and Training (FET) sector, providing learners with pathways to employment, higher education, and opportunities to re-engage with education through second-chance learning.

SOLAS' Conditions of Approval for PLC programmes provide that academic entry requirements should be appropriate to the award being offered. These may include a National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level 4 award, the Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, or an equivalent qualification. The Conditions of Approval also recognise that PLC programmes may admit adult learners who have not completed the Leaving Certificate, where the provider is satisfied that they have the competencies and capacity required to successfully undertake the course.

Education and Training Boards (ETBs) have developed significant experience in the recognition of prior learning and in assessing applicants' readiness to participate in programmes. This enables providers to consider prior learning, work experience and other relevant evidence of an applicant's capacity to engage successfully with a course, including where they do not hold a Leaving Certificate or equivalent qualification.

Responsibility for setting and publishing entry requirements rests with individual ETBs and other approved PLC providers through their quality assurance arrangements. Consequently, requirements may vary across programmes to reflect the nature of the course, the award being pursued and any specific skills or competencies required.

As outlined in the 2019 evaluation conducted by the ESRI, PLC provision evolved from pre-employment and vocational preparation programmes established with support from the European Social Fund in 1977. The evaluation highlights the multiple purposes of PLC programmes, including supporting progression to employment, facilitating access to higher education and providing second-chance opportunities for adult learners.

My Department is committed to ensuring that learners have access to education and training pathways that are appropriate to their individual circumstances, capabilities, aspirations and learning needs. Through SOLAS, the Department funds a broad range of FET provision, including PLC programmes, Youthreach, Adult Literacy programmes, Specific Skills Training and other flexible learning opportunities designed to meet the diverse needs of learners.

ETBs and other providers are expected to support applicants in identifying the pathway that best matches their educational and developmental needs. In addition, each ETB provides an Adult Education Guidance Service to assist prospective learners in understanding and accessing the options available to them.

My Department will continue to work with SOLAS and FET providers to ensure that the system remains inclusive, flexible and accessible.