Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The announcement regarding the closure of the FÁS centre in Cabra is very serious. Participants have received letters to the effect that their courses are likely to cease midway through, sometime before the end of December. This FÁS centre provided a service for those in Dublin 1, Dublin 3, Dublin 7, Dublin 15 and all the way out to Blanchardstown and beyond. Now, there is no FÁS service in Blanchardstown and extending all the way to Meath. More than 250,000 people live in this area and they are being deprived of all FÁS training services. The centre in Jervis Street, in the heart of the city, was closed down last year.

When there are approximately 440,000 people unemployed, some 100,000 people leaving the country and the unemployment level is 13.6%, should we be closing down a FÁS centre? There are reasons for its closure; the roof is in bad repair and the building is structurally unsound. However, there has been no word on an alternative centre. The centre has been run down gradually. ICT programmes are no longer run in the centre. Up to two years ago some 71 staff worked there but now there are only 42 staff working there. Basic computer and technology training is no longer being provided there. Classrooms and training rooms are vacant in the centre. It has been run down over a period and now it is being closed down. The existing staff will be redeployed elsewhere, including to Ballyfermot and Baldoyle, but this is simply not good enough. There will be no training facilities in the heart of the city since the centres in Cabra and Jervis Street have closed down. People have travelled and commuted a great distance from the greater Dublin area and beyond to come to these facilities.

Class participants have received letters, including the letter I have before me, which was received by a constituent of mine. This letter informs her that the centre is to close in early December and her six-month training course will finish on 24 December. What is she supposed to do? Only one month remains on her course but she has simply been informed that the centre will be gone at that stage. Will she received a certificate? How will this process be managed? Have alternative arrangements being made? It is somewhat rich at this time of the year as we approach Christmas that people in the middle of courses are treated in this way.

We are in the middle of the greatest recession the country has ever experienced but we are seeing the closure of a service which is essential to keep people going, to provide them with training and some hope for the future. Instead, we have a decision by the Government to the effect that since the roof has become too bad, now is the time to close the centre but this is being done without providing alternative arrangements for the participants.

I realise the staff will be taken care of to some extent in the sense that they will be redeployed elsewhere. The centre has been run down and almost 50% of the staff have moved already. The situation is serious. I realise a colleague of the Minister, Tommy Simpson, works there. He has done fantastic work in this area and I realise the Minister appreciates the work he has done. All the staff there are concerned not only for their futures, but that FÁS services are effectively being run down and closed at a time when they are most needed.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to set out the latest position regarding FÁS training facilities in north Dublin following the closure of the FÁS facility in Jervis Street and the plan to close its training centre in Cabra. I am familiar with a number of the staff at that centre, having worked there for many years.

I wish to outline the respective roles FÁS and the Minister for Education and Skills play in State training facilities. The role of the Minister for Education and Skills is to provide public funding and overall policy direction to FÁS rather than get involved in the day-to-day running of FÁS. Decisions of this nature are day-to-day operational matters for FÁS as part of its responsibilities under the Labour Services Act 1987.

I now turn to the specific matters raised by the Deputy and begin by setting out the background and current situation at the Cabra training centre. FÁS commissioned a report on the condition of the roof of the Cabra training centre, which was received last week. The report highlighted a potential health and safety risk and recommended replacement of the entire roof structure as soon as possible or, alternatively, the demolition of the current building and the rebuilding of a new centre. This means that in order to ensure the future safety and welfare of both the training centre staff and its trainees, it will be necessary, regrettably, to discontinue shortly the use of part, or all, of the Cabra training centre. FÁS is devising an action plan to ensure that any disruption to clients during this period is kept to an absolute minimum. In this context I understand that consultation is taking place with its staff and staff representatives on the development of a plan to ensure that training and employment services are provided as required at alternative locations.

The Cabra training centre is a relatively small one and was established in 1978. The centre also accommodates a small employment services office. In terms of training capacity it can cater for up to 82 apprentice places and 250 adult day places as well as evening courses. With the exception of a small number of courses, waiting times for course participants are relatively short. There are currently 155 trainees and 14 apprentices on full-time courses in the Cabra training centre and a further 362 trainees on short duration evening courses who will complete their courses by 11 November. FÁS does not envisage that the difficulties relating to the roof will result in the loss of any training places. Where possible, courses will be accommodated in other FÁS training centres or at alternative locations in the Dublin area. Both Finglas and Ballyfermot training centres have capacity to deliver additional full-time, part-time, blended and evening training programmes in the same manner and range as the Cabra training centre. In addition, FÁS will explore the feasibility of co-operating with other non-private daytime training and education providers in the Dublin 7, 11, and 15 areas.

As far as the provision of employment services is concerned, alternative offices are located in Blanchardstown, Ballyfermot, Baldoyle, Crumlin, D'Olier Street, Parnell Street and Finglas. Any person seeking a FÁS service will be accommodated in these offices. If appropriate, FÁS will also explore the feasibility of providing employment services in an alternative location in the Cabra area.

In the context of the next steps, an action plan to redeploy staff and training as necessary is being drawn up and will be implemented as quickly as possible. The board of FÁS will consider the options available for the training centre at its next meeting on 9 November. It is very regrettable that this action has to be taken. However, I emphasise that the health and safety of FÁS learners and staff must be the primary consideration. All efforts will be made by FÁS to minimise any disruption.

I refer to the closure of the FÁS facility in Jervis Street. The lease for the FÁS premises in Jervis Street expired in July 2009. An orderly wind-down of the training facility commenced well before the expiry of the lease involving the redeployment of the longer-term training programmes to ensure minimum disruption for the trainees involved. This left a small number of training courses that were relocated to other training locations in Tallaght, Ballyfermot and Finglas. Those trainees who had commenced their courses in Jervis Street were allowed to complete their training at the facility before its final closure. FÁS continues to provide training courses close to the city centre, through contracted service providers, in line with demand.

As far as the provision of employment services is concerned, this service was relocated to a new ground-floor office in Parnell Street near to the former location. This new facility also accommodates the offices of the Department of Social Protection and thus provides the additional benefit to those clients seeking to avail of the services of both FÁS and the Department of Social Protection in a single location. In conclusion, I assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to ensure that disruption to clients is kept to a minimum and that alternative locations are found to assist in the training of the unemployed in the north west and north inner city. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter.