Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I am not finished yet. If people doing apprenticeships are not able to get work, they will be able to do off-the-job training and FÁS is working with all apprentices to facilitate that. We have changed the criteria in the work and graduate placement scheme to make it easier for employers and graduates to participate. When it was first launched there was not much take-up because a small employer may not have employed ten people or more. We have made changes and from 1 December it has been a much more flexible scheme and looks to encourage young people, particularly graduates, to take placements that will allow them to do something while on the live register. They will be able to hold on to their payment and in many cases it will give them the valuable experience to be able to use their qualifications.