I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 239 to 242, inclusive, and 262 together.
The pupil-teacher ratio for Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses - which are mainly geared at school leavers and adults returning to education - is more favourable than the ratio in second level schools. The Government has decided to raise the pupil-teacher ratio for PLC courses to the same level as that which applies in all free second level schools – 19:1, from next September.
This decision is being made at a time when the Government has succeeded in protecting class sizes in primary and free second-level schools for the coming year, ensuring that our limited resources are rightly focussed on the children in our education system.
While it would be preferable not to have to make any changes, it is hard to justify providing more generous pupil-teacher ratios to PLCs which educates adults, than second-level schools which cater for teenagers.
This change will reduce the number of teaching posts by 200 in PLC and may lead to some reduction in subject choices for students. The further education sector has expanded rapidly over the past few decades, developing many innovative programmes for its students. It is now up to the CEOs of each VEC to look at the resources available to them and to work with their Principals and staff to ensure they can continue to deliver programmes which closely meet the needs of both students and employers.
PLC providers have been enrolling significantly above their allocation of places in recent years, and I do not expect that this measure will impact on the number of PLC places available.
In 2012, my Department is providing some €160 million in funding for the PLC programme, covering staff costs and non-pay costs, as well as student support. There are 32,688 approved PLC places available nationwide. Places are allocated to VECs, Community and Comprehensive and Voluntary Secondary schools on an annual basis following an application process and VECs are responsible for the further allocation of those places to schools and colleges under their remit.
Employment of teachers for the PLC programme is a matter for individual VECs or Community and Comprehensive and Voluntary Secondary schools. My Department does not hold details of teacher's contracts therefore no information is available on the number of full time permanent or part time fixed term teachers in PLC.
These changes will not take effect until September 2013. In the meantime VECs will have an opportunity to plan for the reduced allocation across the schools/colleges under their remit. This necessary change will result in an estimated saving of €12 million in a full year. As the change will be introduced at the start of the academic year in September 2013 the savings from Sept to Dec 2013 will be €4million. It is not possible to amend this measure without introducing additional Budget measures in education which would impact on other frontline services.
The table details the reduction in teacher allocation per VEC. The remaining 11 teaching posts will be across a number of schools in the Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive sector who also deliver the PLC programme.
VEC
|
Reduction in Teacher Allocation
|
Co. Cavan
|
8
|
Co. Carlow
|
4
|
Co. Clare
|
1
|
City of Cork
|
24
|
Co. Cork
|
8
|
City of Dublin
|
48
|
Co. Dublin
|
6
|
Dun Laoghaire
|
14
|
Co. Donegal
|
1
|
City of Galway
|
8
|
Co. Galway
|
1
|
Co. Kerry
|
4
|
Co. Kildare
|
2
|
Co. Kilkenny
|
3
|
Co. Laois
|
3
|
Co. Leitrim
|
0
|
City of Limerick
|
6
|
Co. Limerick
|
2
|
Co. Longford
|
3
|
Co. Louth
|
7
|
Co. Mayo
|
3
|
Co. Meath
|
3
|
Co. Monaghan
|
2
|
Co. Offaly
|
1
|
Co. Roscommon
|
1
|
Co. Sligo
|
3
|
Co. Tipperary N.R.
|
4
|
Co. Tipperary S.R.
|
2
|
City of Waterford
|
4
|
Co. Waterford
|
1
|
Co. Westmeath
|
1
|
Co. Wexford
|
5
|
Co. Wicklow
|
6
|
Non-VEC providers
|
11
|