Vol. 445 No. 8
50 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education if she will lift the 10 per cent ceiling for certain categories of social welfare recipients for participation in vocational training opportunities schemes which effectively discriminate against women and the disabled especially in view of a number of areas where the 90 per cent of places allocated to those on the live register has not been fully taken up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1041/94]
When the vocational training opportunity scheme was established in 1989 it was confined to those on the live register which is the main target of the scheme.
Eligibility for VTOS includes the requirements that a person be unemployed for six months or more and seeking paid employment. It is on this basis it receives EU structural fund support and being on the live register satisfies these requirements.
Notwithstanding this provision, I succeeded last year in having a quota of up to 10 per cent of places allocated to lone parents and other welfare categories.
My Department is not in position to exceed this 10 per cent even where there are vacancies on courses otherwise. Vocational education committees are expected to make every effort to fill places outside the 10 per cent quota from those on the live register. My Department also allows for a margin of vacancies in allocating places.
The question of eligibility for VTOS will be one of the areas that will come up for consideration in the context of the work of the recently established task force on long term unemployment. This will include issues such as position of unregistered unemployed people.
