Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

The Government will soon announce a comprehensive programme called, Pathways to Work, which will address many of the issues to which the Deputy referred. Taking Ulster Bank as an example, somebody from that institution will have his or her skill sets assessed and options will be offered as to how he or she might upgrade his or her skills or divert sideways to improve his or her skills and enhance his or her suitability in terms of job opportunities. What he or she wants to do will be taken into account is assessing whether upskilling is required to enhance his or her employability in those sectors of the labour market in which employers are actively seeking workers.

I do not know what the position is on covered institutions, but I will get that information for the Deputy. As there have been no other redundancies announced, it might be premature to raise the issue. The same approach would apply, irrespective of how staff were made redundant or the status of the institution. We will try to upgrade skill sets and reorient those affected to enhance their chances of getting back into the active labour market.

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