Edward Nealon
Question:190 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to recent press reports that a number of county vocational education committee schemes are to be abolished and that the County Leitrim scheme has been mentioned in this context; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that the proportion of second level pupils attending vocational schools in County Leitrim is the highest in Ireland taken as a percentage of the total enrolment; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that the quality of the programme offered by County Leitrim vocational education committee is very satisfactory; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that the committee is proud of the fact that the proportion of pupils proceeding to third level education is amongst the highest in the country; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that members of County Leitrim vocational education committee have expressed total opposition to any proposal for the abolition of the committee and believe that the county unit must be preserved in any proposed restructuring; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1525/95]