85 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to establish a further education authority. [3632/98]

The Government's commitment to the ongoing development of the further education sector is evident in the decision to provide means-tested maintenance grants for students attending PLC courses with effect from September 1998. The scheme will operate along the lines of the existing third level schemes and will be a critical development in enhancing accesss to lifelong learning; the significant role played by PLC courses in the Government's response to meeting the skill needs of the Irish economy, particularly the recent initiative in international teleservices, which is accompanied by substantial capital investment and a new student support scheme for the cost of overseas placement; the increase of a minimum of 1,000 additional places on Youthreach and in senior traveller training centre place which is being provided in 1998, allied with a new measure to provide counselling, guidance and psychological services for participants on these programmes; the decision to have a Green Paper on Adult Education which will make recommendations on future developments in the context of expanding access to lifelong learning and the ongoing investment in the work of the National Council for Vocational Awards and TEASTAS in providing national certification and assessment for this important sector, streamlining and regulating standards in line with industry needs.