Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:244 Mr. Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of students participating in PLC courses in County Kildare in the academic year 2003/2004. [10722/04]
View answerTuesday, 6 April 2004
Questions (162, 163, 164)
Written answers
My Department approved 359 PLC places in respect of schools in County Kildare for the 2003-04 academic year. Statistical returns indicate that 334 PLC students were enrolled in such schools on 30 September, 2003.
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:245 Mr. Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Science if it is the intention of his Department to cap the number of participants in PLC programmes for 2004-2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10723/04]
View answerEach year, VECs, colleges and schools are required to forward their proposals for the provision of post-leaving certificate courses to the Department for approval. My Department is receiving applications for approval of PLC places for the 2004-05 academic year. However, many more applications are expected in the course of April 2004. Decisions in the matter of the management of PLC places will be taken later this year in the light of all demands for courses and teaching resources across the system.
Question No. 246 answered with QuestionNo. 242.
Joe Costello
Question:247 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason he has capped the number of PLC student places for each school college for 2003-2004; if his attention has been drawn to the negative effects this capping will have on courses and on educational opportunities for some of the most vulnerable members of society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10748/04]
View answerIn the current academic year the enrolments on PLC courses in certain schools and colleges have exceeded the number of places approved by my Department. Teacher allocations for 2004-05 and capitation grants have been allocated on the basis of the approved number of places or the numbers enrolled. In the 2003-04 academic year nearly 28,700 places were approved. My Department is considering appeals from the VECs, schools and colleges for the recognition of the excess numbers enrolled for the purposes of teacher allocations and grants and a decision in the matter will be taken shortly in the light of the totality of demands for teaching resources across the system.
Question No. 248 answered with QuestionNo. 243.