Vol. 396 No. 2
1 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of social welfare recipients who benefit from the various opportunities to return to full-time education while in receipt of personal benefits; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of education opportunities for the unemployed.
63 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make a statement on the scheme for education opportunities announced in December 1989; the kinds of courses which would qualify; whether third level education is included; and the arrangements which are being made to advertise the schemes.
109 Dr. Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will clarify the position of long term unemployed whose educational qualifications make them eligible for third level education; and if they will be entitled to continue in third level education and retain their long term unemployment benefit.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 63 and 109 together.
In December 1989, I made regulations which allow long term unemployed persons to take up full-time education courses while at the same time continuing to receive their unemployment payments. Long term unemployed persons, over age 21, may now participate in second level courses such as the intermediate, group and leaving certificates, some city and guilds courses and other courses leading to a certificate recognised by the Department of Education. Courses may be pursued at any approved centre. This latest facility to pursue education courses complements the vocational training opportunities scheme and the part-time education initiative. Together, these initiatives make the pursuance of further education a real option for unemployed persons.
I do not have details of the number of persons who are availing of the facilities to undertake full-time or part-time education courses. In most cases permission to participate in these courses is sought and granted at local level. In relation to the vocational training opportunities scheme which is administered by the Department of Education, the scheme is operating in 13 centres with about 200 participants. It is planned to progressively expand the number of centres throughout the country.
I intend to cater for those who wish to pursue third level education by introducing a pilot scheme permitting participation in these courses while continuing to receive unemployment payments. The scheme will be primarily aimed at older, long term unemployed persons. Details of the pilot scheme are being finalised at present and I expect to be in a position to make an announcement shortly.
My Department are currently preparing an information leaflet on educational opportunities for the unemployed. Within the next few weeks leaflets will be made available to local and public offices by my Department, unemployed centres and VEC's.
I welcome the further details of the scheme announced in December. I am disappointed that the Minister cannot be clear about the numbers participating. Of the 240 places in the vocational opportunities area what is the number participating in those? Can the Minister estimate the numbers who will be involved? In view of the fact that we have 250,000 people unemployed would the Minister not consider admitting that the educational opportunities takeup in this country is abysmally low?
There are some 200 people participating in those VTOs already, which is a substantial number in a very short time. The number is continually rising. There is a clear demand. Those courses are set courses and that is how we can have the numbers going to those courses. Those courses can accommodate up to 250 participants and further expansion beyond that is a matter which the Minister for Education is considering. An expansion of the scheme would require the establishment of additional centres which means the allocation of extra resources on the education side, in terms of teachers, classrooms and so on.
The Minister referred to some new initiative in his reply. What proposals has the Minister in relation to third level education? In relation to the long term unemployed, would the Minister not accept that it is unnecessary to restrict the courses in any way and that any educational opportunity that a long term unemployed person may wish to take up on the basis that it would be of personal development value should be allowed? Will the Minister have another look at any restrictions he is putting on, having regard to the very long term unemployed, and interpret the regulations in the most flexible possible manner?
The Deputy will appreciate that there are financial implications in all of these measures. The system is operating for second level. One of the difficulties about numbers at second level is that people from all around the country are going into their local secondary school or VEC to take what is not a specified VTO course. We would not have those numbers very readily because those courses are available to people on an ongoing basis. We could do a survey at some stage to find out how many are doing those courses. In relation to third level, I will shortly announce the details of a pilot scheme which will enable people to participate in third level education. We can discuss it at that stage. The pilot scheme will have restrictions on it during its period.
Question No. 2, please.
May I ask a final supplementary?
Yes, but it must be a brief one.
It is my own time.
Although there are three questions in the Deputy's name if we are going to devote as much time to the Deputy's other questions as to her first, we must move on.
It is my own time, as I pointed out, as the first three questions are in my name.
It is the time of the House, Deputy.
Well, the questions are all in my name. How does a centre become approved and is there any capacity for additional funds to be put into this area from the EC which is concentrating now on developing programmes for the long-term unemployed?
In relation to centres being approved, the centre must be recognised by the Minister for Social Welfare in consultation with the Minister for Education. People are coming forward now with ideas as to what they want to do. Some colleges are making, or considering making, special proposals in view of the flexibility which I am offering now, but that is all in the making at the moment. In another few months the Deputy will be able to quantify exactly what has happened.
