Vol. 571 No. 1
548 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if funding will be restored to vocational education committees to allow VTOS course participants to avail of the child care allowance; the progress which has been made in this regard; if some special assistance will be provided to vocational education committees that are particularly badly affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20295/03]
671 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the cutbacks in the allowances made to participants in education or training programmes to cover the cost of child care; and if he will review any such cutbacks in view of the potential hardship involved. [20974/03]
692 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns raised by a number of mature students who are participants on the VTOS course, who have now been advised that child care payments are to be stopped while they are still trying to further their education in view of the fact that the students, who have made many sacrifices to better their job prospects for the future and to complete this course, now find themselves in a position where they may have to forfeit their placement; the reasons this payment is being stopped; the steps he has in place to redress this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21178/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 548, 671 and 692 together.
Since 1998 my Department has provided funding to vocational education committees to assist towards the child care expenses of participants in VTOS, Youthreach and senior Traveller centre programmes. The cost of providing these supports has been rising steadily since 1998 and in the current year, the sum of the estimate by vocational education committees of their needs exceeds the amount of money available.
I appreciate that the shortage to funds for child care supports has given rise to difficulties for a number of vocational education committees. At present, I am examining the possibility of providing some special assistance to vocational education committees that are particularly badly affected.
