Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would very much like to increase the materials and training grant and to increase the €22.50 top-up paid to participants in the schemes.

However, these are budgetary matters and I am sure there will be competing priorities for the budget this autumn, as is always the case. They will certainly be on my ask list. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to deliver on them, but I will certainly try to do so.

During the recession, there was a major increase in the numbers on schemes. The CE scheme increased in numbers, while Tús, Gateway and JobBridge added to that. Logically, as the economy recovers, the numbers are being reduced. JobBridge is closed to new entrants and Gateway is being phased out. CE will be protected because of the important service provision role it plays. We are providing for 22,400 places to be funded this year. At present, we are slightly below that, at 22,356, so there is room for a small addition. In the medium-term, we intend to link the numbers to the live register. As a result and as the numbers on the live register increase, there will be more places. As the numbers decrease, there will be fewer places. I think that makes sense.

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