Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2004
154 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Science the action he intends to take to rectify the anomaly that has arisen in Drogheda College of Further Education whereby the numbers have been capped at 384 in a facility built for 500. [12225/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnrolment in the PLC sector has more than doubled since 1990. There are over 1,000 courses to choose from in over 60 disciplines, delivered in a network of over 230 schools and colleges. Government commitment to the sector is evident not only in this expansion but also in the introduction of maintenance grants for students with effect from September 1998, the provision of national certification under the Further Education and Training Awards Council and the development of links with the institutes of technology.
In the current academic year, the enrolments on PLC courses in certain schools and colleges have exceeded the number of places approved by my Department. Teacher allocations for 2004-05 and capitation grants have been allocated on the basis of the approved number of places or the numbers enrolled. A total of 666 post-leaving certificate places were approved in County Louth VEC in the current academic year. My Department is currently considering appeals from the VECs, schools and colleges for the recognition of the excess numbers enrolled for the purposes of teacher allocations and grants. A decision in the matter will be taken shortly in the light of the totality of demands for teaching resources across the system.
