Course funding in place from previous government [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 11 May 2011
FUNDING for thousands of the 15,900 places on courses being provided for unemployed people was already allocated by the last government.
Almost 6,000 of the education and training places are in third-level colleges for people who lost their jobs in sectors hit worst by the recession.
But this Higher Education Springboard programme was unveiled last December as a €20m three-year scheme and just 2,400 of the positions are as a result of the extra €2.8m now being provided.
The number of places had not previously been announced as proposals for courses were being assessed and Education Minister Ruairi Quinn will open up applications on May 25.
The extra training places have an annual cost of €19m and will cost €11.3m this year with, €8.3m to come from the Exchequer.
