Vol. 509 No. 6
644 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that due to budget constraints the City of Dublin VEC provides support towards the adult education fees of those who are unemployed or single parents and not to widows or old age pensioners; and if he will make changes in order that this support is available uniformly to those dependent on social welfare. [21837/99]
My Department provides funding to enable second chance education to be provided free for early school leavers and adults over 21 who are at least six months unemployed under the Youthreach and Vocational Training Opportunity Schemes. Adult literacy programmes and full-time post leaving cert courses are also provided free of charge, and there are no upper age limits on these programmes. In general, all other forms of adult education operate on a self-financed basis.
In addition to the above, limited funding is also provided to vocational education committees to enable them to subsidise the enrolment of certain categories of disadvantaged participants on courses for which fees are payable. The disbursement of this funding and the establishment of priorities for expenditure are matters for decision by the committee. It operates a scheme for the waiving of fees, where payable, in the case of people who are unemployed, including single parents who are unemployed. Budgetary constraints do not at present allow for the expansion of this arrangement to cover widows or old age pensioners or for a general waiver for all social welfare recipients. The matter will, however, be kept under review.
