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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Student Support Schemes.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

654 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the system whereby the vocational education committees will not pay a student, who dropped out of school early, a maintenance grant in order to participate in a leaving certificate applied course as a second chance education opportunity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16596/02]

In general adults may return to participate free in full-time education at further education level, but will not receive a financial payment. The only instances where payments are made are: means tested maintenance grants for higher education and PLC students; training allowances paid to unemployed adults over 21 and at least six months unemployed under the vocational training opportunity scheme; training allowances paid to early school leavers aged 15-20 in Youthreach and aged 15+ in senior traveller training centres, who left school with either minimal or no qualifications, generally less than five Ds at junior cycle level or equivalent.

Approximately 6,000 part-time places have been provided in the further education sector this year under a new Back to Education initiative which is aimed at providing flexible learning opportunities for those in employment, unemployed or not in the labour market. Provision is free for medical card holders, the unemployed and those in receipt of means-tested welfare payments, and their dependants; there is a reduced charge for other unwaged people with less than upper secondary education, and the remainder pay fees. Information on Back to Education opportunities is available from the local vocational education committees.

In addition to the above, my Department provides grants of order of €4 million per annum to vocational education committees to enable disadvantaged adults to avail of community education at minimal or no cost. This is usually allocated through the provision of teaching hours to a range of community and voluntary groups for educational activities. The special initiatives for disadvantaged adults scheme, SPIDAS, forms part of this grant, and enables vocational education committees to support disadvantaged students on a discretionary basis by providing funds towards the cost of fees, books, materials travel and meals. People who benefit from this scheme include, for example, participants in the Department of Social and Family Affairs back to education allowance scheme.

Overall, there are of the order of one million Irish adults aged 15-64 with less than upper secondary education. The priority under the White Paper on adult education, Learning for Life, is to widen access, increase flexibility and responsiveness, provide a national adult literacy strategy, and improve quality and supports such as guidance and childcare. Meeting these challenges will require considerable increases in investment on a phased basis. It is not possible in that context to expand the provision of financial support to students to a broader range of groups.

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