Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that facilities available in County Clare for the training of FÁS apprentices are inadequate; if training facilities will be provided for FÁS apprentices in Ennis (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37904/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I understand from FÁS that the phase two off-the-job element of apprenticeship, is provided in the FÁS training centre in Shannon. The centre currently has a capacity to cater for 310 apprentices per annum, having expanded from 280 places this year with the addition of extra electrical and plumbing classes. This capacity is significantly greater than the number of apprentices recruited by employers in County Clare. In the case of phases four and six, which are provided by the institutes of technology, the nearest locations are Limerick and Galway.

FÁS cannot provide facilities to deal with all trades in all locations but, in an overall context, it considers that the provision of places in County Clare is quite good when compared with current demand. FÁS provides supplementary accommodation and-or travel allowance to assist apprentices who have to travel a distance from home to attend the nearest available training facility.