asked the Minister for Education the proposals she has to improve access to adult education, and if she will make a statement on the matter.
20.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Adult Education.
4.
asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the plans she has for the expansion and development of adult education.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 20 together.
My Department, in conjunction with the VECs and other parties concerned with the provision of adult education, will continue to ensure that adult education is as effective and accessible as possible within available resources.
I am pleased that it has been possible to increase the moneys available for adult education over the last number of years.
A wide range of relevant courses is available to people throughout the country. In the case of the disadvantaged second chance education is available at much reduced fees and literacy and community education is provided free or at nominal cost.
My Department's approach is to work towards making the best use of resources available. In that regard I might refer to the two bodies established to deal with adult education in an umbrella fashion, that is AONTAS and NALA and say that, for example, NALA received £28,000 in 1988 and in 1989 £42,000. There has also been an increased allocation to AONTAS, from £77,000 in 1988 to £85,000 in 1989.
Would the Minister agree, that as a first step, she should restore the original cadre of adult education organisers appointed around the country? In that context will she confirm that, of the original 50 posts approved, something of the order of 40 or 42 only have been filled?
I would not be in a position to give the Deputy the precise number now but I will let him have the information later.
Would the Minister agree that the allocation should be filled?
Last year in respect of the adult literacy and community education scheme the amount sanctioned for the VECs was £400,000. That has been increased to £500,000 this year, representing an increase of 25 per cent which is commendable.
Is the Minister aware that in the area of adult education literacy appears to have been excluded from consideration for EC Structural Funds? Is she aware that those involved in the adult education area say that they made submissions with a view to benefiting from EC Structural Funds and that, while those submissions were received, they were then told that they were being excluded? Does the Minister regard that as a satisfactory state of affairs? If she does not, will she take up the matter with her colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, who has such responsibility?
The matter to which the Deputy refers is one on which there are ongoing discussions in Government in regard to the seven regional plans around the country being codified vis-à-vis the various proposals to be incorporated in the overall national plan. I am reasonably satisfied that, in the economic circumstances prevailing, to have been able to grant an increase to NALA, AONTAS and the VECs of 25 per cent is good. Naturally one would wish one had unlimited funds to allocate to what is a very good cause. But, bearing in mind the conflicting demands within the education budget, what we have been able to do for this most necessitous area has been relatively good.
I note what the Minister has said in that regard. Indeed I would be much happier if she simply fulfilled the funding commitments of the previous Government in this area. My question related specifically to the possibility of securing moneys from the EC Structural Funds for adult education and specifically for literacy. Would the Minister accept that, for those who are unemployed, particularly the long term unemployed, the possibility of second chance education and the possibility of addressing literacy and numeracy problems constitutes a very important and practical way of helping them into the labour market? If the Minister does accept that contention would she not then accept that there is a role in this for moneys from the EC Structural Funds? If that is so, will she please take up with her colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, why she has disappointed the providers of adult education?
I am afraid we are having repetition.
That is a very convoluted question. In regard to the first point the Deputy made, that he wished my Government would give as much money as had his, I should say that we have given much more.
They have not.
Since 1985, £1.8 million have been provided as against the £1 million originally targeted by the Coalition. I make that point for the record. I have no objection at all to talking to my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, about matters such as these. In the meantime I do not intend to sit back on that aspect. I have already endeavoured to put my house in order with regard to the amount of funding made available for 1989 in this very important area, particularly for the community and literacy programmes to which I attach enormous importance.
Finally may I ask the Minister——
This must be a very brief and relevant question. I have given the Deputy quite an amount of latitude.
In the review the Minister has mentioned will she address the question of the provision of day time adult education? I am sure she is aware of the good work being done in areas such as Coolock and Kilbarrack and which is proving to be very beneficial. Has the Minister any proposals to address that issue in particular?
As the Deputy is aware, we allocate the money to the relevant VECs who in turn order their priorities and make allocations. I was at pains each year, in my circular accompanying the VECs allocations, to emphasise the importance I attach to community and literacy education. I should say that the schemes to which the Deputy referred, the day time adult schemes, particularly for women in various areas would come within the overall umbrella of community education.