Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:42. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the Student Universal Support Ireland review report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25859/13]
Priority Questions
Student Grant Scheme Reform
The City of Dublin VEC commissioned an external review of Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, to identify the causes of the processing difficulties experienced in 2012 and to set out a specific programme of action to address them. The review contains a series of recommendations, many of which are already being implemented by SUSI. In line with these recommendations and in preparation for the 2013-14 academic year, both the online application system and the application assessment process are being further developed to enhance their effectiveness to deal with the difficulties experienced in year one.
A number of new initiatives will make the application process more efficient this year, including the following: information sharing between SUSI and Government agencies such as the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection, the General Register Office and the Central Applications Office. These links should significantly reduce the number of documents required from applicants themselves, and it was the requirement of this set of documents that caused part of the problem.
I thank the Minister for his reply and welcome the publication of the report on SUSI. The fact that over half of students were not paid their grant until after Christmas last year was totally unacceptable. It led to some students having to drop out of college and exceptional financial duress on families which had to support students in college while they were waiting for a grant to come through.
The report by Accenture reviewed what went wrong within SUSI and has made recommendations on what should happen this year. Many of them are already in train. The report did not cover how it came to be in the first place that SUSI was established in a way that led to its failure. The Department had a role in that so has the Minister conducted any review on how SUSI was awarded the tender in the first place and the oversight and assessment of that process? From the outset it seemed clear that it would not work. Although it was a key project, it led to serious hardship on students. Not only do we have to learn the lessons of what went wrong with SUSI when it was established, but we must also learn lessons on the award of the contract in the first place. What was the role of the Minister and the Department in that context? Has there been an internal investigation to ensure these mistakes will not be made again?
I thank the Deputy for his questions. The Department had no experience of administering the grant system and from day one, there were 66 different bodies involved, with the county councils on one hand and vocational educational committees on the other. We did not get a centralised reporting mechanism back to the Department to indicate which counties were doing well, although there were anecdotal stories of delays which every one of us would have got as Deputies or Senators. They issues were dealt with locally or at council level.
The Student Support Act 2011 was supported by all parties, including my own in opposition, and I facilitated the Bill's passage before the Dáil disintegrated before the election. Three bodies expressed an interest in performing the grant awarding function and representatives were interviewed by the Department, which had overall responsibility under the new Act but no operational experience in that regard. The three groups which submitted an interest in running the project had operational experience and the City of Dublin VEC - the largest in population terms in the country - made the most convincing bid.
Did we get it wrong? Yes, we got it collectively wrong. Are we fixing it? I believe we are. Have I examined what happened in the Department? I have done so and I am giving the Deputy an analysis of what was given to me, and I have no reason to second-guess that. We have it right now but I will not take my eye off the ball this year because of the reasons which the Deputy brought to my attention last year.
The process failed on two counts. The first was a failure to deliver grants to students more quickly, as the Minister admits, and the second was a failure to make the process more efficient in its first year. I ask the Minister to give an assurance to students that we will not see a repeat of this next year. We need to learn the lessons of what went wrong in this regard, as it is not the only part of the public service that is being changed and reformed. The fact that this process went so wrong must be investigated, with any assessment published so that it can be examined within the Oireachtas and other Departments can benefit. Will the Minister give a guarantee to students that in so far as it is possible, we will not see a repeat of what happened last year? Will he publish the Department's assessment and analysis of how it got the process wrong and the lessons to be learned from it?
I can give a positive answer to the first request as it will be better this year. I will not publish any document because I do not have a document. I was briefed by officials working in extremely difficult circumstances because like everybody else, their income has been reduced and their workload has been increased. I am not looking for people to scapegoat. I am the person to be scapegoated and I am here in front of the Deputy. I will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure we improve the service but I am not in the business of looking for scapegoats in the Department. I am proud to be there and I am proud of the work and the loyalty given to the Department of Education and Skills.
Special Educational Needs Service Provision
Jonathan O'Brien
Ceist:43. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give consideration to amending the home tuition grant for children with autism attending preschool when there is an option so that 20 hours of 1:1 tuition can be allocated 11.25 hours of 1:1 tuition and 13.75 hours of group tuition per week. [25642/13]
I understand Deputy O'Brien is otherwise engaged and I welcome Deputy Ó Snodaigh in his place.
The home tuition scheme provides a grant to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for specified reasons, are unable to attend school or for whom a school placement or preschool placement is not available. It is generally the case that the tuition is provided at the child's home. However, in the event that parents of children who are eligible for home tuition request the Department to consider a proposal for tuition to be provided in a group setting offered by a private provider, the Department considers any such proposal. At the request of parents of eligible children, officials in the Department are considering a proposal from a preschool to provide tuition on both a group and individual basis. Consideration of this proposal is at an advanced stage. I anticipate a positive outcome in the near future.
I hope the Minister was referring to the PALS preschool because the parents are very concerned they will end up having to repay some of the tuition fees they received which covered the hours their children were in the preschool, some of which were in a group setting which was vital for the children to learn social interaction. If the rules are too strictly applied, as has been suggested, the parents will suffer the consequences. I welcome this news and I hope the Minister will be able to announce a positive change in the very near future on this issue.
I thank the Deputy for his supplementary question. I can confirm the proposal is with regard to the PALS preschool group in Blanchardstown. Discussions have taken place on remuneration and allocation of fees and I am happy to tell the House and Deputy a fee structure has been proposed by the provider and it is acceptable to the Department, and letters to this effect will issue to all concerned.
Traveller Community
Joan Collins
Ceist:44. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he proposes to lift the educational attainment levels within the Traveller community in view of the fact that many cutbacks in education funding both directly and indirectly affect those in the Traveller community as highlighted by a recent report by Pavee Point indicates that funding for Traveller education has been cut by 86.6% since 2008. [25701/13]
The report and recommendations for a Traveller education strategy, published in 2006, recommended that the principle of inclusion be the guiding principle and that segregated provision for Travellers should be either reduced or eliminated. In line with this strategy a number of Traveller-specific programmes have been phased out. The reference to an 86.6% reduction in the recent report published by Pavee Point, Travelling with Austerity, refers to the reduction in funding for segregated Traveller-specific programmes, some of the funding for which has been redeployed to mainstream programmes in line with the principle of inclusion. This policy has proved to be successful in lifting educational attainment levels in the Traveller community, with the number of Traveller children enrolled in post-primary school rising by 46% in the seven years to 2011-2012 and a total of approximately 12,000 self-identified Travellers in mainstream primary and post-primary education.
Department of Education & Skills Traveller Specific Funding allocated 2008 to 2012 and 2013 Projections
Enrolement/Participant in DES funded Schools/Programmes: Total Identified Travellers*
|
Year |
School |
Enrolment |
Year |
FE Sector |
Participants |
|
|
2011/12 |
Primary |
8,086 |
2011 |
Youthreach |
578 |
|
|
2011/12 |
Post-Primary |
2,731 |
2011 |
BTEI |
733 |
|
|
Total School Enrolment |
10,817 |
Total FE Programme Enrolment |
1,311 |
12,128 |
*Travellers are self-identified therefore the total number of Travellers availing of services may not be included in the pupil/participant data shown. The allocation estimates for Traveller Specific provision shown is additional to overall mainstream funding which provides for education of all system users including Travellers
Table of Funding detailing Additional Specific Provision for Traveller Education
|
Title of Provision: Traveller Specific Funding |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
Programme Expenditure: |
||||
|
Pre School |
||||
|
- Capital |
||||
|
Equipment Grant for Traveller Pre-Schools |
€34,600 |
€31,095 |
€8,210 |
€2,000 |
|
- Current |
||||
|
- Pay |
€434,320 |
€730,157 |
€618,677 |
€251,179.14 |
|
Teaching Resources Primary /Post-Primary |
||||
|
- Current |
||||
|
- Pay |
||||
|
Primary Teaching Resources |
€31,000,000 |
€32,000,000 |
€29,220,000 |
€21,940,000 |
|
Visiting Teachers for Travellers - Pay |
€2,542,000 |
€2,624,000 |
€2,468,000 |
€1,645,333 |
|
- Non-Pay |
€333,046 |
€248,737 |
€198,864.02 |
|
|
Post Primary Teaching Resources |
€10,700,000 |
€13,100,000 |
€14,208,000 |
€9,879,040 |
|
Funding Resources Primary /Post-Primary |
||||
|
- Non-Pay |
||||
|
Enhanced Capitation Primary |
€1,200,000.00 |
€780,000 |
€530,000 |
€537,768 |
|
Enhanced Capitation Post-Primary |
€1,283,562.00 |
€666,760 |
€670,000 |
€574,056 |
|
Junior Education Centres (VECs) — |
||||
|
- Current |
||||
|
- Pay |
€624,640 |
€621,000 |
€653,920 |
€722,400 |
|
- Grant |
€12,000 |
€12,000 |
€12,000 |
€12,000 |
|
Senior Traveller Training Centres |
||||
|
Pay |
€16,002,003 |
€17,256,436 |
€15,259,918 |
€12,285,000 |
|
Non pay |
€3,431,073 |
€2,714,684 |
€2,379,425 |
€1,989,000 |
|
Learner Allowances |
€6,857,140 |
€6,671,794 |
€6,174,780 |
€4,639,000 |
|
STTC National Co-ordinator Office |
€217,000 |
€199,000 |
€190,728 |
€189,170 |
|
General Traveller Training Centre also know as the Parish of the Travelling People, Cabra |
||||
|
VEC Teaching Resources |
€198,000.00 |
€198,000.00 |
€192,000.00 |
€192,000.00 |
|
School Transport |
||||
|
- Current |
€2,000,000 |
€1,800,000 |
€1,200,000 |
€23,477.44 |
|
TOTAL GROSS PROGRAMME EXPENDITURE |
€76,536,338 |
€79,737,972 |
€74,034,395 |
€55,080,288 |
Explanatory Notes - Table of DES - Allocated Traveller Specific Funding 2008 to 2012 incl 2013 Projections
1 Preschool
Transport costs for preschool - €11,714.92 in 2012
Implemented in accordance with Chapter Five of Report and Recommendations for A Traveller Education Strategy - change to an inclusive, integrated service
The Free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme is funded through the Department of Health and Children (OMCYA) Vote.
2 Teaching Resources Primary /Post-Primary (2012/13)
Primary Teaching Resources 121 Alleviation posts x €60,000 = €7,260,000
Post Primary Teaching Resources 20 Alleviation posts x €64,000 = €1,280,000
Visiting Teachers for Travellers 2011 €1,645,333 (39 VTT's x €60,000 & 2 VTT's x 64,000 for 8 months)
Salary costs being used for 2012 - based on an average salary incl ER PRSI - Primary €60,000 and for Post Primary €64,000
In accordance with Chapter Six - Primary & Chapter Seven - Post primary - provision of education to Travellers based on need rather than identity
The decision to remove the VTST service was one of a range of measures included in the National Recovery Plan 2011 to 2014
Of the 488 resource posts at primary, 265.5 posts were retained in the system and allocated to include Travellers in the valid enrolment for the purposes of allocating additional teaching resources to implement more favourable class sizes in DEIS Band 1 schools and to include Traveller pupils in the revised General Allocation Model for higher incidence special educational needs in all primary schools with Travellers.
3 Funding Resources Primary /Post-Primary: Enhanced Capitation for Travellers - per capita rates reduced by 5% in Budget 2011 in line with overall per capita funding reduction.
Reduction in Capitation Funding was one of the measures adopted in 2011 to achieve the saving required under the National Recovery Programme 2011-2014
4 Junior Education Centres (VEC's)
Junior Education Centres (Funded under VEC's) Pay Allocation
- St Anthony's Athlone 2487 hours/735 = 3.38 wte (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 3.38)
- St Joseph's Milltown 1,470 hours /735 = 2 wte (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 2.00)
- St Thomas', Clonshaugh 1,681 hours/735 = 2.28 wte (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 2.28)
In accordance with the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy, education provision based on educational need and not identity, changing to inclusive, integrated provision.
(The Co-operation hours annual cycle is similar to an ordinary second level school's annual cycle,and relate to 2012/13 year. Therefore €64,000 used to calculate total pay cost)
5 Senior Traveller Training Centres: Implemented in accordance with Chapter 8 of the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy - Bring Travellers into mainstream further education provision.
The phasing out of segregated provision for Travellers in Senior Traveller Training Centres on foot of recommendation of the STTC Value for Money Review was completed at the end of June 2012.
6 General Traveller Training Centre - also known as the Parish of the Travelling People, Cabra 2012/13 Allocation 2,205 hours/735 = 3.00 WTE teachers (PP salary incl ER PRSI €64,000 x 3) *Application for Allocation of hours for 2013 not yet made.
7 Transport
Implemented in accordance with Chapter 6 & 7, - provide school transport for Traveller pupils on the same conditions as for settled pupils. From September 2011 the distance and general eligibility applies to all children. Given that the Traveller specific transport has been phased out and Traveller children are using mainstream transport it is not envisaged that there will be any significant expenditure on Traveller transport in 2013.
The reason I tabled the question is that in response to other questions the Department has stated things are going well in the Traveller community with regard to education. I believe the principle is individual educational needs rather than Traveller identity. We are not discussing this aspect. We had a recent experience in St. Dominic's in Ballyfermot.
What the Minister is saying now is not true. They have said themselves that up to 2011 they had 100% retainment of children from the Traveller community. Since then they have seen a change in the situation because of the cuts in resource and visiting teachers, as well as the SCP local co-ordinator and the SCP project worker. These all linked in with the guidance counsellors and MBSS classroom co-ordinator. All those cuts have made a big impact and Traveller children are now dropping out of the system.
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has said that there must be a consistent system of data collection to assess minority pupils' performances in education and establish the necessary policies in this area. Has the Minister put something like that in place? Those affected are saying that if this continues all the benefits gained in the last seven years, up to 2011, will be gone.
The Deputy tabled a specific question, which I have attempted to answer, concerning a statistic that was given and which is disputed, but that is another matter. The reductions in supports for Travellers were taken by the previous Government but they were maintained by this Government, so I am not trying to blame any of my predecessors.
I do not think the issue of mainstreaming is disputed by anybody and I did not get that sense from what the Deputy asked me. If she is talking about a specific experience in a particular school in her constituency and can bring the precise details to me, I will have the matter investigated and will get her a detailed reply.
That would be appreciated but questions have been tabled already and the Minister has given standard replies to Deputy Eric Byrne. However, I will certainly contact the Minister about this area. It is not just that school but also the other schools around it and the community in Labre Park, which are all part of that system. There has been a definite reduction in school attendance by Traveller children, which is a serious problem in the area.
If the Deputy could bring those particular details to my personal attention, I will have a direct inquiry made and will get back to her and the other Deputies in the constituency.
Special Educational Needs Service Provision
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:45. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to implement in full the recommendations of the recent National Council for Special Education policy advice paper on supporting students with special educational needs in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25860/13]
The National Council for Special Education's report on Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Schools makes clear that there are many aspects of the current system with which parents and schools are very happy. We should recognise that at the outset. However, the NCSE also considers that there are concerns in relation to some aspects of our current system, under the headings of enrolment, assessments and the supports for children with special educational needs and their allocation.
The report makes 28 detailed recommendations which the NCSE feels would help to address these issues. These recommendations will require careful consideration by my Department. I have requested the NCSE to develop a proposal for a revised allocation model for further consideration. I am also conscious that in making any changes to our supports, we need to protect the gains we have made. Consultation will therefore be a key aspect in the implementation of any of these recommendations.
I thank the Minister for his reply. There is no doubt that the paper is a very thoughtful and constructive contribution to the debate. While the landscape for special needs education has been transformed over the past 15 years, we must always take stock, re-evaluate and see how things can be done better in future. We are now spending €1.3 billion annually on special education with some 10,000 resource teachers and 10,000 special needs assistants also. They are delivering a fantastic service to school children, which is much needed.
The report contained a disappointing finding on enrolment in certain schools. It found that in some schools there were soft barriers to the enrolment of children with special needs. How does the Minister intend to address that particular issue? In response to the report, the INTO said the proposals could roll back 20 years of progress. The INTO also said that the current system, while not perfect, ensured that children got access to resource teaching in a timely fashion. The union also said that parents should view the NCSE report through the lens of another potential cutback which would reduce resources for teachers while increasing paperwork and bureaucracy. In addition, the INTO said that rather than giving resources to children, this plan talks about giving access to resources. How does the Minister respond to the INTO's assertions concerning the NCSE report?
I thank the Deputy for his comments. He is right to recognise the fact that a lot of progress was made in this area by previous Governments, of which his party was the dominant partner.
It is 20 years since we had the first allocation model for special needs education and how it can be broken down. The world has learned a lot more, not just in Ireland but across the globe, particularly in the developed countries, where special education is being mainstreamed.
On cutbacks, I have, unfortunately, had the responsibility to reduce public expenditure in the Department of Education and Skills on foot of the economic crisis with which we have been confronted and the legacy of the Deputy's party. The Deputy has acknowledged that we have ring-fenced the €1.3 billion in resources for young people with special education needs and we have frozen the number of people in terms of the 10,575 special needs assistants and resource teachers to whom he referred. That does not necessarily mean things stay the same or as they always were because if there is a variation in the number of people looking for, and qualifying for, support that can increase or reduce the number of supports in a particular school or classroom.
I am reasonably confident what I have received from the NCSE will be an improvement on what we have in terms of the allocation of those resources. The only commitment I can give the Deputy and the wider community who will be listening to this debate or looking at its reported proceedings is that I intend and will endeavour to keep the same amount of money in the forthcoming budget for this sector. If that requires a different allocation of resources on foot of the recommendations of the NCSE, that would follow, but I will publish my response to the 28 recommendations following consultation. As I said in the formal reply, "I am also very conscious that in making any changes to our supports we need to protect the gains we have made. Consultation will therefore be a key aspect in the implementation of any of these recommendations."
I thank the Minister for his response. Of course there will be a significant time period involved in acting on any of the recommendations and bringing about change. I ask for the Minister's response on a couple of particular issues. One was regarding children with Down's syndrome, about whom the Minister asked the NCSE to advise. There are approximately 30 such children per year, as the Minister knows. If they are diagnosed as mild on the intellectual disability spectrum rather than moderate they do not have automatic access to resource teaching hours. These children will enter the system this September, and since there will be a time lag involved in bringing about any proposals the Minister has to change the way resource hours are allocated, a decision is urgent for them. Will the Minister now decide for this September to allocate specific resource teaching hours to those children with Down's syndrome who are diagnosed as having mild intellectual disability?
There will be an increase in September in the number of children going through our primary school system. The Minister is increasing the number of mainstream teachers by 450 to meet that demand so the pupil-teacher ratio, PTR, does not have to be increased as a result of those additional children coming in. However he is not increasing the number of special needs assistants and resource teachers in the system to match that. There will have to be a reduction somewhere along the line for those who have special needs. That is very unfair. Those who have the greatest needs are suffering as a result of the way the Minister is approaching the finances of the Department on this. Will the Minister ensure that, in the same way he is increasing the number of mainstream teachers, he will also ensure there is no reduction or squeeze on the resources available to those with special needs entering school this September?
At the launch of the NCSE report I met one of the representatives for people with Down's syndrome. They have lobbied the Oireachtas very professionally and comprehensively and I gave an undertaking to meet them. I am also awaiting advice from the NCSE on how Down's syndrome is to be treated within this broader context. On the second question, I gave an undertaking that I would ring-fence existing resources, that they would not be subject to reduction as other aspects of education are because we have had to correct the legacy that, sadly, the Deputy's party left us with. That is not the same as saying I will increase the allocation of resources.
We are going to have to find ways of making that money stretch a little further, and we will do so. The requirement to meet the cohort of population increase will be met. That is where I stand on this matter.
Further Education and Training Programmes Provision
Jonathan O'Brien
Ceist:46. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the reduction in teaching allocation at a college (details supplied) in Dublin 10 will result in the loss of specialised award winning courses; if he will recognise the unique place of the college in Irish education by providing an enhanced allocation to allow the college to develop new programmes; the reason the students of the college need to rely on UK certification; and the reason students attending the college are neither eligible for the same grants as other institutions nor Erasmus and Leonardo funding. [25643/13]
The college referred to by the Deputy is operated as an approved post-leaving certificate, PLC, centre by City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee. My Department continues to facilitate, as an exceptional measure, the provision by this college of two courses accredited at level 8 on the national framework of qualifications. The CDVEC has been allowed, as a transitional measure, to retain for the 2013-2014 academic year ten whole-time equivalent teaching posts it had been due to lose under the new pupil-teacher ratio allocation. Further distribution of these posts to colleges under its remit is a matter for the CDVEC.
Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 outlines the position with regard to approved institutions for the purposes of student grants. The college is comprehended within section 7(1)(d) of the Act as a provider of post-leaving certificate courses. I have no plans to designate further education centres as approved third level institutions for the purposes of the student grant scheme
From his answer it is obvious the Minister of State is aware of the college in question, which is an exceptional one by any yardstick. Recently the education committee visited it and saw at first hand the type of work that is carried on in this college. It plays a pioneering role, some aspects of which have already been identified given the Department has recognised its level 8 courses. By doing that, it must also recognise the college is already delivering, not only in further education but in higher education, and that it is a pioneer. For example, it is the first college to offer fine art portfolio courses and desktop distinction courses in graphic design, fibre art and illustration. This college produced an Oscar winner and several Oscar nominees for animation, which must be recognised and encouraged.
Thank you, Deputy.
Can the Minister of State provide a guarantee there will be no job losses beyond the number he gave of two posts, to be an exception for one year, and that the college will be unaffected by the changes in the pupil teacher ratio? Given the nature of the specialised courses it offers there, is a danger of a loss, not only of specialist lecturers but also of specialist courses for which the college is renowned, not only in the Ballyfermot area but throughout Ireland and the world. I appeal to the Minister of State to consider this college not alone as an exception but as a role model for future transition between the colleges of further and higher education.
In the first instance, the Minister, Deputy Quinn, and I made a commitment at the outset, when the pupil-teacher ratio changes were first announced, that we would actively engage and consult colleges of further education and VECs to allow for that transitionary period to occur before September of next year and for the system to respond as best it could, thereby suggesting to us the number of alleviation posts that might be required within each VEC to minimise the impact of this necessary budgetary cut. As I made clear in my response, the City of Dublin VEC has been awarded ten additional teaching posts and, as every VEC does, it has the autonomy and independence in deciding how those posts are allocated. I very much acknowledge the excellent work being done by Ballyfermot College of Further Education.
One of the reasons we are currently reforming our further education and training system and creating a new further education and training authority, SOLAS, is that early on in both our Ministries we identified a significant duplication and, at times, a fragmentation occurring between the further education and training sectors. We do not want to see a situation emerging where this would begin to occur between the further and higher education systems. Those legacy courses that are provided for in the college, to which the Deputy referred, are exactly that - a legacy. It would not be our intention to enhance or allow for third level provision within the further education sector. In the coming years, the higher education sector will undergo significant reforms and restructuring, including an enhanced collaboration in particular regions between institutes of technology and universities.
The higher education sector will undergo significant reforms and restructuring over the next several years, including enhanced collaboration between institutes of technology and universities in particular regions. We believe this will be the model for delivery of third level education in future.
In regard to the legacy courses, is the Minister of State suggesting that the courses currently offered in Ballyfermot will be transferred elsewhere? He suggested that City of Dublin VEC had ten additional posts but the loss to Ballyfermot college alone could be as high as nine or ten teaching posts. This loss of teaching jobs will have an equivalent impact on lost courses. As an alternative solution, will he consider increasing the student cap so that the college can retain its current cohort of teachers and, therefore, deliver courses by increasing intake? The problems of demand for places at Ballyfermot and other colleges could be addressed if the cap on post-leaving certificate courses was increased.
In regard to the cap, the vast majority of PLC colleges normally have enrolment rates far beyond their formal numbers. That flexibility will remain in place. The question of whether we can commit to increasing or decreasing the cap remains part of the upcoming budgetary processes for this and coming years.
In regard to the special alleviation posts for City of Dublin VEC, these are ten whole-time equivalent posts but a significant number of tutors and teachers on these courses operate on a part-time basis. These ten whole-time equivalents may significantly enhance the opportunities for City of Dublin VEC and the college to which the Deputy referred if a number of tutors operate on a part-time basis in the colleges concerned.
I asked the Minister of State whether it was the intention in the long term to move the legacy courses away from colleges like Ballyfermot.
That certainly is not the intention.