Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this issue and the Minister of State for being present.

The future role of Fáilte Ireland training centres in the provision of training courses for persons who are unemployed in Cork, Dublin and Waterford is a source of major concern. Fáilte Ireland, with which the Minister of State will be familiar, runs skills training courses in the training centres mentioned, as well as the centre in Limerick. It is stated on its website: "These courses are the first step on the road to working in an exciting and flexible industry". The key words are "working" and "training courses provision for people who are unemployed". As stated in the Fáilte Ireland pamphlet, it is about allowing people to return to work and helping young people who have no jobs. There are almost 432,000 people on the live register, which represents an increase of 24% in 12 months. These are people whom the Government has failed and continues to fail.

I wish to discuss Fáilte Ireland and the future role of the training centres set up in the late 1980s under the stewardship of the Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern. They were intended at the time to alleviate chronic unemployment and provide an outlet for people in the major cities to attend for retraining and upskilling in hotel catering, the culinary arts and bar tending. They allowed them to be ready to avail of job opportunities that would present themselves in the tourism sector in restaurants, hotels, bars and guest houses. If we are to use tourism as a catalyst to get out of recession, I am concerned that, although at the height of the Celtic tiger these courses were in full flow, now during the recession we are cutting back on them. Why is this the case? At a time when there is an unemployment ratre of 13%, surely we should put more emphasis on upskilling and training people who are unemployed. In 2007-08 in Cork there were 14 courses — four to teach bar skills, four to provide restaurant training and six to teach culinary skills. These figures have been reduced to two, one and three, respectively. Why has there been a reduction? The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Mary Coughlan, speaking on "Prime Time" on 25 February, stated, "I put €1 million into activation measures and training and €1 billion into enterprise. I transferred funding for training from those employed to those who are unemployed." What is the money being used for?

I have talked to people who cannot get onto courses in Cork or who have had to endure a waiting list. Not only in Cork but also across the country people have been told the number of places on these training courses has been cut significantly. Funding has been allocated to the training centres but course place numbers have been cut? Why? I made specific reference in my request to the Cathaoirleach to the years 2007 to 2009. Surely it makes sense at a time of high unemployment for the Government to choose not to cut the number of courses available but to provide an opportunity for people to get onto such courses and thereby gain employment either now or in the future.

In the same interview on "Prime Time" the Tánaiste spoke about the centres which would help us to return to economic stability. She identified the tourism and catering industries, the very ones Fáilte Ireland's training course programme was intended to assist. I refer to the organisation's brochure which includes the phrase "a career in tourism, a package for you". The brochure is glossy and aimed predominently at young people but also at those who want to return to work. Given the reduction in the number of courses available to those who are unemployed, what alternatives are the Tánaiste and the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy Martin Cullen, providing for the tourism industry or people who wish to participate in culinary, bar and restaurant skills courses?

I look forward to hearing a reply in which the Minister of State will outline how such centres will be utilised to get people off the dole queues and waiting lists for courses in Cork, Dublin and Waterford. We must be ready and willing. Fáilte Ireland offers a great package and provides a great service. Those involved in the centres are committed, highly motivated and professional. I ask the Minister of State to indicate that the cuts to the numbers of courses will be brought to an end and that the numbers will increase in order that we can the tourism industry to be a catalyst to aid our recovery.