Vol. 477 No. 7
36 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Education the proposals, if any, she has to provide support for students on post-leaving certificate courses in view of the commitment given in the programme, A Government of Renewal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10110/97]
My Department will provide more than £39 million this year towards the running costs of such courses, and I abolished fees for PLC courses with effect from 1995-6.
To provide a maintenance grants scheme for PLC students along the lines of the third level scheme would cost in excess of £11 million per annum. I am sure the House will appreciate that a balance has to be struck between competing demands for resources in the education sector — between funding for the different levels of the system, between initial and second chance education, between students supports, investment in quality assurance, and special measures to combat disadvantage and under achievement.
