Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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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.

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy Martin Cullen, sends his apologies to the House for his absence. On his behalf, I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and welcome the opportunity to address the Seanad on the role of Fáilte Ireland and its training centres.

As the Senator knows, Fáilte Ireland was established in 2003 under the National Tourism Development Authority, NTDA, Act which sets out the functions of the agency. Its clear focus in the provision of training, as set out in section 8 of the Act, is that it shall "encourage, promote and support the recruitment, training, and education and development, of persons for the purposes of employment in connection with the tourism industry in the State". This is a day-to-day function of the authority and neither the Minister nor the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism has a role in the day-to-day delivery of these services. The Department's role, as stated in its business plan, is to ensure the appropriate policies, resources and structures are in place to support that development of knowledge, skills and competencies, as the basis for quality service delivery in the tourism industry. The Minister is satisfied that this year's provisions, following the Estimates process, are adequate in that regard. He is also satisfied that the structures in place for the delivery of the services are appropriate.

Fáilte Ireland provides and funds tourism training and education through four directly operated training centres in Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick and in collaboration with ten institutes of technology. This activity focuses on craft education and is designed to produce graduates with an accredited tourism qualification which is validated on the national qualifications framework through the Further Education and Training Awards Council, FETAC. Fáilte Ireland engages in these programmes in order to build and maintain a relevant "skills pipeline" to meet the ongoing needs of the industry. The Minister points out that, unlike the former State agency, CERT, Fáilte Ireland has no explicit remit to train unemployed persons. FÁS remains the primary State agency tasked with that function.

Equally important to the tourism industry and growing in prominence is a further element in the Fáilte Ireland service portfolio which involves a range of in-company training, advisory and coaching activities. This work is carried out on-site in the tourism business and allows tourism owner-managers to access help and advice which is practical and tailored to the specific needs of each individual business. Through this form of engagement with the industry, Fáilte Ireland makes a strong contribution to raising the skills, competencies and productivity of those already working in the industry. In this way, the authority also contributes to the greater sustainability and survival of individual tourism enterprises. I think Senators will agree that this is a particularly important and correct emphasis in the current economic climate.

In the past two years Fáilte Ireland has been reviewing its range of training and business supports continually, primarily in response to the needs of the industry and in consultation with it. In so doing it has sought to rebalance its activities to respond to calls from the industry for increased in-company training and support. In some instances, this in-company work has allowed Fáilte Ireland instructors to identify common problems across a number of firms. Where this has occurred, staff from these firms have been invited to attend a course at one of the training centres specially designed to meet their needs. In this way, greater on-site involvement has enabled new courses to be developed and resulted in the training centres being used in new and innovative ways. This rebalancing of resources and activities has not resulted in an abrupt shift in direction by Fáilte Ireland. Neither has it produced an either-or outcome. Training continues to be carried on both within training centres and in-company fashion. The exact balance to be struck in each of the four training centres is determined by reference to local tourism industry needs.

The Minister believes it is important that training is available for those willing and eager to re-skill and get back into employment. Fáilte Ireland is playing a valuable role in this regard. However, it is also important that, as a Government, we do our utmost to maintain existing jobs in the industry by making every effort to ensure businesses continue to survive and trade their way through the current difficult trading conditions. In this regard, the initiatives taken by Fáilte Ireland to assist businesses through onsite training, as well as areas such as cost control, web presence and marketing, have been very well received by the industry and represent a good use of available resources.

In regard to the statistics requested by the Senator, the Minister has asked the Fáilte Ireland authority to supply this information to the Senator directly and I am confident it will do so in the next few days.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I appreciate that this issue does not involve the Minister of State's Department. I understand the Minister, Deputy Martin Cullen, is indisposed and I wish him well. I have two points which I hope the Minister of State will convey to him and his Department. The Minister of State said Fáilte Ireland had no explicit remit to train unemployed people. However, its brochure refers to unemployed people being eligible for training programmes. Fáilte Ireland has a role to play in regard to the whole area of unemployment, retraining and upskilling. The Minister of State also referred to on-site training in the tourism business. Hotels have no jobs and are cutting back on their workforces; therefore, there are no on-site training jobs. It is important we examine the remit of Fáilte Ireland in this context.

I appreciate the Minister of State's final comment on the provision of information. I ask her to ensure Fáilte Ireland contacts me directly and to follow up with the Department in that regard.

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I will do so.