Vol. 396 No. 6
63 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to provide extra resources for adult education, in view of the increased numbers expected to participate as a result of the decision to allow those unemployed for more than 15 months to draw unemployment assistance and participate in adult education at the same time.
The regulations which the Minister for Social Welfare recently introduced in consultation with my Department are an important measure, the purpose of which is to remove an obstacle which existed to attendance at educational courses by the long term unemployed.
One form of participation in this context is that arising under the vocational training opportunities scheme for which additional funding has already been allocated in the current year. Should other special needs arise in relation to the attendance of long term unemployed in educational programmes I will certainly be looking at the matter sympathetically.
