Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I have full confidence that the Government and my Department will continue to do everything in their power to meet and respond effectively to the challenge of rising unemployment. As a result of the global economic crisis, rising unemployment is a problem that is affecting all economies but it is a priority issue for both myself and my Department. As such I have already taken considerable measures to respond to this pressing challenge.

This includes doubling the capacity of the job search supports system provided by FÁS employment services and the partnership-based local employment service to 150,000 places per year for referrals under the national employment action plan. In addition, as a result of efficiencies and a redeployment of resources announced in the supplementary budget, my Department is now funding approximately 128,000 activation training and work experience places through FÁS. This is a substantial increase on the 66,000 places which were available at the end of last year. Part of this increase in provision has been achieved as FÁS has re-aligned its focus to provide a more flexible delivery of training interventions for individuals to include on-line, evening and blended learning training options in addition to the more traditional mix of course offerings. The aim of these additional training places is to offer increased flexibility and flexible learning options to enable the unemployed to further develop their skill sets and competencies to secure employment as soon as possible.

Key to these developments has been the co-ordinated and integrated approach to activation between my Department, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Department of Education and Science. This has allowed us to produce a range of measures to expand services to the unemployed and to promote a flexible learning environment tailored to the specific needs of the individual. As a result of this joint approach the Government announced in the supplementary budget that €128 million was being redeployed to the activation area, which is resulting in the creation of 23,435 training and education activation places across my Department, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Department of Education and Science.

Included in the supplementary budget are specific new innovative measures such as a work experience scheme, which will provide 2,000 six-month places to individuals who are unemployed, and it will include the placement of graduates. A new training programme of 277 places at a cost of €1 million is being introduced for sustaining vulnerable employment. Under this programme 277 workers who are on a three-day week and receiving social welfare payments for the days they are not working will receive two days training a week for a period of a year. We are also introducing a part-time third level scheme whereby 1,500 third level places will be provided to enable persons who are unemployed to pursue third level certificate or degree programmes at levels 6, 7, and 8 on a part-time basis.

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