Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:257 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education when funding will be made available from her Department for a project (details supplied) in County Cork. [6372/96]
Written Answers. - Project Funding.
Provision has been made for an additional 450 Youthreach places in the educational sector in 1995-96. A district approach is being implemented in the allocation of these places, which seeks to ensure, as far as possible, complementarity with the activities of other agencies in the area and with the plans of the local area based partnerships under the Local Urban and Rural Development Operational Programme. In addition, as part of the expansion, innovative proposals have been requested which pilot new arrangements for progression for Youthreach trainees to higher levels of training, and which cater for groups with special needs, such as lone parents, young offenders, drug addicts etc.
My Department has written to all vocational education committees requesting their proposals for new places on this basis. The closing date for receipt of vocational education committee proposals is 29 March 1996.
On receipt of these proposals my Department will enter into discussions at national level with FÁS and Area Development Management Ltd. before making final decisions in the matter. The application for the provision of a new Youthreach centre in County Cork will be examined in this context.