Vol. 542 No. 2
514 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of places he has allocated to VTOS in the Cavan VEC; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a shortfall; and if he will now rectify this situation by allocating the relevant number of VTOS places. [23900/01]
There are currently 5,000 approved places for the vocational training opportunities scheme – VTOS. Until recently this figure has met the overall demand on a national level, but there has been a significant increase in demand for places by the vocational education committees since last year. At this stage, all places allocated have been filled. County Cavan VEC was initially allocated 40 VTOS places for the academic year 2001/2. An additional ten places have since been given to this VEC, bringing its total allocation to 50 places, all of which are being provided for students attending post leaving certificate programmes, PLCs.
Applicants who are at least 21 years of age, and in receipt of relevant social welfare payments also have the option of attending these PLC programmes under the back to education allowance scheme, BTEA. This scheme is administered by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, with participants receiving an allowance in lieu of their social welfare payment from that Department.
The back to education initiative, as set out in the recent White Paper on Adult Education – Learning for Life – proposes to expand VTOS, youthreach, PLC and senior Traveller training programme on a part-time basis. The intention is that this new initiative will address the increased demand for places, and provide flexibility in provision of programmes to meet the demands of adults wishing to return to education and training. Some 4,000 additional part-time places will come on stream at the end of the year.
