Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I have listened with some interest to what she has said. I note the question that was specifically put to me relates to whether the person in question can get funding under the springboard initiative. Therefore, my official reply will be restricted to that, but I will pursue it beyond the points raised by the Senator. Let me, however, read into the record the note that has been provided for me.

Springboard is a specific initiative to provide 6,000 part-time higher education places targeted at unemployed people who have lost jobs in sectors where employment levels will not return and who will need new qualifications and skills to re-enter employment as the economy recovers. It is designed to support a return to employment for people who have lost their jobs as a result of the recession, and also to ensure that there is a better skills match between industry needs and higher education graduates. A competitive call for proposals under springboard issued in early 2011. It was open to public, private and not-for-profit higher education providers for programmes, which provide for awards between levels 6 and 9, on or aligned with the national framework of qualifications.

The tendering documentation for springboard was developed in close collaboration with the expert group on future skills needs and with input from industry representatives to ensure that programmes would be provided in areas where future employment opportunities are expected to arise. Detailed research by Forfás on skills areas where there are identified job opportunities and skills shortages in the economy accompanied the call.

No proposal was received from the institution concerned as part of the competitive tendering process to have the course, referred to by the Senator, funded under the scheme. It is therefore not possible to fund students on this course through the springboard initiative.

Having said that, the Senator has put on the record a number of interesting details. In my background notes, I have some information on the person involved. I would be quite happy to determine whether we can explore it further. I would not want in any way to offer false hope in regard to it.