David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 301: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the initiatives his Department has in place to facilitate ex-prisoners in returning to the workforce; the supports and services available to them to enter employment; the success of these initiatives in enabling ex-prisoners to secure employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38229/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I understand from FÁS that ex-prisoners qualify for the full range of FÁS services and at any given time a number of ex-prisoners attending FÁS courses may not be identified as such.

In addition, the high support process has recently been extended to include ex-prisoners who would benefit from such support. The high support process is an inter-agency response for people who are remote from the labour market. The high support process has a flexible training fund for employment support of up to €2,500 per person, to purchase employment supports not readily available through mainstream providers.

FÁS and the probation and welfare service also collaborate on a number of justice workshops for youths at risk who may be ex-prisoners or ex-offenders. The aim is to prevent custodial sentences and rehabilitate ex-prisoners. At present there are 13 joint FÁS-probation and welfare justice workshops. Furthermore links are continuing between FÁS and the training and education officers of the linkage programme. The linkage programme was initiated in 2000 by the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is funded by the probation and welfare service to provide an access service to clients referred to the programme by the probation and welfare service for training, education and employment opportunities.

Time spent in prison counts as part of the eligibility period for the community employment and social economy programme and ex-offenders do not need to be on the live register at the time of recruitment.

FÁS is represented on the board of the Educational Trust, an all-Ireland body that funds the educational needs of ex-prisoners and their families, both North and South of the Border. FÁS is also a partner in the "You are Equal" project. The aim of this project is to enable participation in society in a positive way through removing barriers to employability and job readiness of prisoners and ex-prisoners. The project will support the group to get and keep employment. FÁS with other partner agencies in this project, including the Irish Prison Service and the probation and welfare service, recognises the need for a stronger and enhanced cross agency approach, which will lead to a more integrated approach to meeting such clients' needs. Ongoing contact continues between FÁS, the Prison Service, and the probation and welfare services in addressing the employment needs of ex-prisoners.