Vol. 486 No. 3
279 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science when funds will be allocated to Ballymote vocational school, County Sligo for a dust extractor system in view of the fact that the projected cost is very minimal at £2,600, teachers and pupils are at risk to the severe side effects and several other schools have it already installed. [2526/98]
The position is that funding for vocational schools and community colleges is made to the VEC as part of a block grant which also covers the costs of VEC overheads and other activities apart from the second-level programme. It is a matter for the vocational education committees to determine the allocations for the individual schools in their vocational education committees.
In response to a submission by County Sligo VEC, my Department made available additional funding to the VEC in 1997 towards the cost of providing a dust extractor system in Ballymote vocatioal school, County Sligo. I understand from the VEC that the matter of the installation of the dust extractor system is now at an advanced stage.
