My Department's policy in relation to degree level courses in VEC colleges is that provision for such courses should be made only in exceptional circumstances. Following a Government decision, my Department established a committee in February 1988 to examine third level courses leading to awards by the NCEA and other bodies outside the universities. The committee produced a report in September 1989 and it has been circulated to interested parties for their observations. I note that the report endorses the present policy in relation to degree courses in VEC colleges and recommended that the Department and the NCEA should establish parameters for what should constitute exceptional circumstances in the approval of new degree programmes. I will consider this matter further when the views of the interested parties have been examined.
The geographical spread of RTCs facilitates a take-up of third level places by students who might not have been in a position to take up a university place. This will, I hope, be the case in Tallaght also. It should be noted that the recent expansion in the ESF funding in the colleges sector means that at this stage the vast majority of students in the colleges sector do not pay fees and also qualify for a maintenance allowance. The £72.5 million capital programme which I recently announced relates to developments in the HEA and VEC sectors of third level education.
The projects in the VEC sector included in the programme are as follows: Regional Technical College, Tallaght — building of a new college; Bishop Street College, Dublin (DIT) — first phase of new building which is to house the College of Commerce and the College of Marketing and Design; College of Catering, Cathal Brugha Street (DIT) — new accommodation to upgrade the facilities for hotel catering, chef training, food processing (science) and tourism; Capital Equipment — to upgrade the technology in third level colleges; and Regional Technical Colleges — programme of enhancement with particular emphasis on computer science/ technology, library, hotel training, staff and lecture facilities.
Discussions are at present taking place between my Department and the college authorities regarding the enhancement programme in regional technical colleges. Accordingly, I am not in a position to give more detailed information on the programme at this stage.
