The Teachers’ Union of Ireland today described the further education measures announced as part of the Government’s jobs initiative as ‘not going far enough’ and a ‘lost opportunity’
 

Speaking this evening, union general secretary Peter MacMenamin said:
 

“We welcome any increase in education places in the current climate, but this still feels like a lost opportunity.
 

Our research shows that 90,000 people applied for 31,000 Post Leaving Cert (PLC) places last year. The additional 1,000 places will result in only a negligible increase in course availability in September, and it must also be remembered that for the first time a €200 fee will be payable by students. 
 

The additional 3,000 places in the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) represents a bigger percentage increase on existing provision and we welcome this.
Overall, a greater increase in PLC place provision could have been considerably offset by money no longer payable in social welfare to potential students, so the commitments announced today do not go far enough and demand will far outstrip supply yet again.”