Vol. 406 No. 4
66 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Education the reason the VEC sector does not receive additional resources per student for increased student enrolment, as the Higher Education Authority sector did for 1990-91; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The additional resources for the university sector arose from an agreement reached with the university authorities. Under this agreement the universities will provide not less than 3,600 additional student places over the next three to four years by raising their intake quotas by not less than 1,200 additional places per annum over and above the historical pattern of growth. This agreement came into operation at the start of the present academic year.
While a similar arrangement was not put into effect for the VEC third-level colleges the financial allocation provided for the colleges for 1990-91 took into account the increased enrolments in 1990 and any anticipated increases for 1991. I am satisfied that the provision for that purpose is adequate.
