Jim O'Keeffe
Question:69 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education her views on whether substantial funding for education should be available from the EC Budget; and the steps, if any, she has taken to achieve that objective.
Written Answers. - Education Funding.
The EC Council has at present no mandate in the area of general education. The council is empowered under the Treaty of Rome to lay down general principles for implementing a common vocational training policy. It is in this context that my Department receives aid from the European Social Fund of £197 million approximately per annum towards the cost of vocational training programmes in the second and third level sectors.