VEC's call on Dempsey to stop schemes closing

The country's VECs are claiming tonight that some students attending VTOS, Youthreach and Travelling Training Centres will be forced off their schemes, because of funding cuts by the Department of Education.

The VECs want the Minister for Education, Noel Dempsey, to intervene.

The Department has told the VECs that it is making a 37% cut in its allocation for childcare centres operated by them.

These centres are used by students on Youthreach, YTOs and traveller education programmes, with the VECs saying the cuts have already forced some of the centres to close.

They say the students are among the most marginalised, and cannot afford to pay commercial childcare rates, which in turn means they will have to drop out of their education.

In addition, the VECs claim the real crisis arises from the fact they were not warned of the impending cutbacks.

They've told Minister Dempsey that he must intervene to provide some funding, which would allow the centres remain open.