Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The total number of people recorded on the live register for October is 157,449. This is a significant decrease in the numbers recorded in the previous four months of 2007. It also equals the average numbers recorded on the live register for the year in 2005 and 2006. Employment has increased by 247,300 in a three year period since 2004 and the number in employment is 2,140,900.

The live register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment benefit. Unemployment is measured by the quarterly national household survey, collated and published by the Central Statistics Office. The most recent quarterly national household survey, quarter 3, 2007, indicates that employment has increased by 67,600 in the year. The unemployment rate is 4.7%, down from 4.8% in the same period last year.

The predictions for the medium term are for continued employment growth, albeit at a slower pace than that experienced to date. Ireland's overall employment rate is 69.9%, which compares favourably to the EU rate of 64.4%. The range of services provided by FÁS will be available to anyone who becomes unemployed. This will include active engagement with persons on the live register to help them obtain jobs either directly or through further training, education or work experience and access to the various training and employment programmes provided by FÁS.

FÁS also emphasises the training of low-skilled workers in vulnerable industries to ensure that, in the event of becoming unemployed, they will have the skills necessary to make the transition to other employment. The development agencies, the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the county enterprise boards will continue to promote job creation through the delivery of programmes to help the enterprise sector develop, thereby creating new jobs.

Over the period of the National Development Plan 2007-13, the NDP, the Government will invest €7.7 billion in public funds to support training and skills development. This is a significant increase on the level of spending at €5.9 billion over the previous seven year period. The level of investment reflects the importance the Government attaches to maintaining an educated, skilled and adaptable workforce in Ireland.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The NDP will focus on upskilling the workforce and the activation and participation of groups outside it. Upskilling the workforce will include measures to improve training for people in employment, help upskill those affected or likely to be affected by industrial re-structuring, improve and enlarge the apprenticeship system and provide progression opportunities for school leavers. A total of €2.8 billion has been provided to support these measures over the lifetime of the NDP. Activation and participation of groups outside the workforce will include measures to provide targeted training and services to the unemployed, people with disabilities, lone parents, Travellers and prisoners, as well as encouraging the increased participation of women, older workers, part-time workers and migrants in the workforce. A total of €4.9 billion has been provided to support these measures over the lifetime of the NDP. FÁS and Skillnets will provide most of this training and €1,076.5 million has been provided for these activities in the pre-budget Estimates for 2008.

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