Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We have sought to identify labour intensive projects and we have re-oriented some work being done in this respect, including increasing allocations for schools. A broad estimate of the total number employed through the capital investment programme is 100,000.

With regard to local authorities and the question of how one can provide alternatives to receipt of unemployment benefit, Ministers are examining in what way we can assist in this matter through training, the back to education programme and other such programmes within budgetary constraints and using the existing resources available across a number of Departments. We are also trying to increase the throughput of those who can gain access to these programmes.

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