Vol. 465 No. 3
75 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Education the reason disabled persons are being effectively excluded from the vocational training opportunities scheme due to the rule that only 10 per cent of students from the categories of disabled, lone parents, single mothers and widows can be accepted into any particular class. [9586/96]
The vocational training opportunities scheme was established in 1989 to cater for long-term unemployed people. It was on this basis that EU Structural Funds support was obtained. The scheme was broadened in 1993 to include lone parents, disabled people and their spouses for whom adult dependant allowances under the relevant schemes are paid. An overall quota of up to 10 per cent of places applies to these categories.
The main aim of the VTOS is to provide a second-chance education opportunity to long-term unemployed persons who have demonstrated through the signing on process that they are unemployed and seeking employment and whose disadvantaged status is shown through a system of means testing. The position regarding eligibility for the scheme will, however, be kept under ongoing review.
