I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 47, 52 and 61 together.
Since 1998 my Department has provided funding for 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 of funds for child care supports has given rise to difficulties for a number of vocational education committees and may impact on the options available to adult learners in relation to participation in second chance education programmes. At present, I am examining the possibility of providing some special assistance to vocational education committees that are particularly badly affected.