Vol. 411 No. 1
584 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Education if all options have been considered by her Department in an effort to obtain EC funding, similar to ESF grants for RTC students, for primary students; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Under the Treaty of Rome the EC Council is empowered to lay down general principles for implementing a common vocational training policy. It is in this context that my Department receive aid from the European Social Fund of £107 million approximately per annum towards the cost of vocational training programmes in the second and third level education sectors.
The EC Council has at present no mandate in the area of general education.
