Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2009
1113 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps he is taking to ensure that, in the term 2010-2011, colleges offering post leaving certificate courses have the required resources to accept those seeking to pursue the courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38466/09]
View answerThe Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programme provides an integrated general education, vocational training and work experience programme for young people who have completed their Leaving Certificate and adults returning to education. The overall number of approved PLC places is set at its current level because there is a continuing requirement to plan and control numbers and to manage expenditure within the context of overall educational policy and provision. In May 2009, an additional 1,500 PLC places were allocated to VECs and other providers for the 2009-2010 academic year, bringing the total nationwide to 31,688. This is another step in expanding opportunities and broadening access to further education so that people can enhance their employment skills.
1114 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) in Dublin 8 had 2,500 applications for 800 post leaving certificate course places in 2009; the steps he will take to ensure this school can accommodate the difference between available places and those seeking places in view of its location in a disadvantaged area, as recognised by it being a RAPID area and a drugs taskforce area. [38467/09]
View answer1116 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a college (details supplied) in Dublin 10 had 5,500 applications for 1,200 post leaving certificate course places in 2009; the steps he will take to ensure this college can accommodate the difference between available places and those seeking places in view of its location in a disadvantaged area as recognised by it being a RAPID area and a drugs taskforce area. [38469/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1114 and 1116 together.
The Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programme provides an integrated general education, vocational training and work experience programme for young people who have completed their leaving certificate and adults returning to education. An additional 1,500 PLC places were allocated to VECs and other providers in 2009 for the 2009-2010 academic year, bringing the total number of approved PLC places to 31,688. Places are allocated to VECs an on annual basis following an application process. The colleges referred to by the Deputy are part of City of Dublin VEC. City of Dublin VEC was allocated 7,718 PLC places for the 2009-2010 academic year. The further distribution of places to individual centres within VECs is a matter for each VEC.
1115 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science the number applying for post-leaving certificate courses in each college for the past five years; and the number of places available for each of those years. [38468/09]
View answerApplications for places on individual courses are made directly to the schools and colleges involved. This information is not held by my Department. PLC places are allocated to Vocational Education Committees (VECs) and other providers on an annual basis following an application process. The majority of PLC places are allocated to VECs and the distribution of these places internally is a matter for each VEC. The remainder are allocated to voluntary secondary and community and comprehensive schools. A table below gives a breakdown of the number of PLC places allocated to VECs for the last five academic years along with the numbers allocated to secondary and community and comprehensive schools.
|
VEC |
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2007/08 |
2008/09 |
2009/10 |
|
Co. Cavan |
792 |
888 |
1,000 |
1,150 |
1,210 |
|
Co. Carlow |
700 |
716 |
800 |
800 |
820 |
|
Co. Clare |
150 |
150 |
100 |
100 |
110 |
|
City of Cork |
4,367 |
4,028 |
4,000 |
3,870 |
4,000 |
|
Co. Cork |
1,120 |
1,144 |
1,144 |
1,244 |
1,310 |
|
City of Dublin |
7,860 |
7,892 |
7,761 |
7,538 |
7,718 |
|
Co. Dublin |
930 |
930 |
930 |
896 |
916 |
|
Boro of Dún Laoghaire |
2,010 |
2,090 |
2,090 |
2,048 |
2,151 |
|
Co. Donegal |
250 |
250 |
230 |
213 |
185 |
|
City of Galway |
1,070 |
1,080 |
1,080 |
1,080 |
1,160 |
|
Co. Galway |
225 |
180 |
160 |
160 |
180 |
|
Co. Kerry |
380 |
396 |
430 |
460 |
530 |
|
Co. Kildare |
359 |
360 |
330 |
317 |
357 |
|
Co. Kilkenny |
410 |
410 |
460 |
460 |
480 |
|
Co. Laois |
312 |
312 |
330 |
350 |
370 |
|
Co. Leitrim |
94 |
83 |
70 |
82 |
92 |
|
City of Limerick |
684 |
700 |
700 |
750 |
920 |
|
Co. Limerick |
310 |
310 |
310 |
310 |
310 |
|
Co. Longford |
308 |
308 |
330 |
330 |
350 |
|
Co. Louth |
760 |
856 |
900 |
1,000 |
1,100 |
|
Co. Mayo |
380 |
380 |
340 |
387 |
404 |
|
Co. Meath |
160 |
170 |
250 |
270 |
290 |
|
Co. Monaghan |
200 |
248 |
248 |
248 |
278 |
|
Co. Offaly |
57 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
|
Co. Roscommon |
70 |
41 |
66 |
63 |
63 |
|
Co. Sligo |
185 |
230 |
300 |
350 |
440 |
|
Co. Tipperary N.R. |
510 |
531 |
531 |
570 |
615 |
|
Co. Tipperary S.R. |
240 |
250 |
250 |
270 |
280 |
|
City of Waterford |
676 |
686 |
686 |
700 |
770 |
|
Co. Waterford |
185 |
185 |
205 |
205 |
223 |
|
Co. Wexford |
850 |
730 |
730 |
730 |
760 |
|
Co. Westmeath |
115 |
115 |
115 |
115 |
135 |
|
Co. Wicklow |
971 |
990 |
990 |
950 |
980 |
|
Total VEC |
27,690 |
27,689 |
27,916 |
28,066 |
29,557 |
|
Total |
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2007/08 |
2008/09 |
2009/10 |
|
VEC |
27,690 |
27,689 |
27,916 |
28,066 |
29,557 |
|
Sec |
1,046 |
1,033 |
962 |
877 |
850 |
|
C&C |
1,441 |
1,456 |
1,310 |
1,245 |
1,281 |
|
Total |
30,177 |
30,178 |
30,188 |
30,188 |
31,688 |
