Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

In addition, the vocational training opportunities scheme is a second chance education initiative designed specifically for the unemployed. Unemployed persons who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of specified social welfare payments for at least six months are eligible to participate. It aims to give participants' education and training opportunities, which will develop and prepare them to go into paid employment or on to further education opportunities leading to paid employment.

As a result of the downturn in the economy, it is anticipated that the intake to higher education institutions will be much higher in 2009 as other options for school leavers diminish. As jobs continue to be lost across the economy, it is critical that the capacity of the higher education sector to provide for fundamental upskilling of the workforce is enhanced and developed. There is no cap on places in higher education generally and this is in line with the Government's policy objectives of increasing participation in higher education from both a social policy and economic development perspective.

The institutes of technology are taking steps to utilise all available capacity to provide upskilling for those who have become unemployed or are facing uncertain employment prospects, including the provision of preparatory courses for those who may be a long time out of the formal education system. Colleges will expand provision from September 2009 in course areas where employment opportunities are likely to develop and will provide enhanced opportunities for progression to other higher education programmes.

The introduction of the multi-annual strategic innovation fund for higher education has been a major catalyst in introducing more flexible and innovative approaches to the delivery of programmes responsive to the needs of industry and to an increasingly diverse group of learners. Under the fund, the institutes are also examining the scope for more flexible delivery of provision, including the possibility of alternate start dates and accelerated programmes in order to utilise capacity that may develop due to attrition.

Despite the current global turbulence, the Government remains determined to further develop the country's economy and create the right conditions for fostering growth in the business sector. In recent years, economic growth in Ireland has been driven by domestic demand and not by international competitiveness. As domestic demand has weakened we must look to exports for a sustained economic recovery. Indigenous exporters are and will continue to be critical in the achievement of future economic stability and job maintenance and growth in the Irish market.

Our principal focus, therefore, is on supporting the growth of a cohort of Irish companies with the ambition, leadership and innovation necessary to achieve global scale. To support industry and the economy as a whole, a targeted focus must be placed on sustaining and creating exports. In directing this focus, the development agency, Enterprise Ireland, has a dedicated task force which is actively working to respond to the changed economic environment. This will ensure the supports offered to companies are the most relevant and effective in addressing the current realities facing businesses across the manufacturing and internationally traded sectors throughout Ireland. It is critical that we continue to invest in the companies upon which our economic recovery depends.

To that end, I have already put in place an enterprise stabilisation fund, which was announced by the Taoiseach just over a week ago, to allow meaningful additional assistance to be provided to basically sound internationally traded companies that would otherwise struggle to survive the global downturn. The fund will operate in conjunction with the banks and will supply direct financial support to eligible internationally trading enterprises which are undertaking development expenditure to reduce costs and gain sales in recession hit overseas markets. The fund will complement the banks' commitment to SMEs under the recapitalisation scheme and should facilitate much of the restructuring that is needed for viable companies selling on the home market.

County enterprise boards also have an excellent track record, working with local entrepreneurs to give focus and to develop sustainable, growth-orientated local enterprises which can deliver high quality job creation without displacement or dead weight. They provide valuable assistance and I am confident they will continue to be to the fore in developing and supporting our economy through these challenging times.

While assisting Irish companies to expand their international footing and their domestic performances, we also attract new investment to these shores through the Industrial Development Agency. We have attracted many of the leading companies, mainly in information communications technology, life sciences and globally traded business and financial services. It is because of our targeted approach, our flexibility, our human capital and our support within the taxation system that we heard the announcement today of 500 jobs in Leixlip, with an opportunity to increase that by a further 500.

Good ideas have been put forward by Members of the Opposition and, with the scarce resources available, we are examining how to keep people in employment. We are looking at ways to support employers to keep those who may lose their jobs at work two or three days a week. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, the Minister for Education and Science and I are looking at targeted and focused ways to be innovative. I have taken on board the discussions that took place on the European model, which has something similar to support people in employment. At the Competitiveness Council last week, I raised with Commissioner Verheugen the absolute necessity to set aside some of our EU legislative frameworks in order to be more flexible and innovative in supporting people in employment, as well as creating new opportunities for them.

I have taken into account the Deputies's contributions. All new initiatives and ideas are certainly worth examining.

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