Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide further details on the commitment in the programme for Government to support up-skilling of low-skilled workers in the manufacturing sector by investing more than €2.8 billion over the next six years in up-skilling; and the action that has been taken in this regard to date. [25414/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The commitment contained in the Programme for Government reflects the National Development Plan's intention to invest €2.8 billion in the upskilling of the workforce over the next six years. This includes the training for people in employment, upskilling those affected or likely to be affected by industrial restructuring including those in the manufacturing sector, improving and enlarging the apprenticeship system and providing opportunities for school-leavers.

The Government is fully committed to upskilling and this year the State will invest approximately €70 million in the training of those in employment. This represents a significant increase in investment in comparison with other years. As a result of this increase there has been expansion in publicly funded training and development programmes for managers and workers, including those working in the manufacturing sector participating in these programmes.

Several FÁS in-company training programmes contain specific sectoral training initiatives to support the Food, Clothing, Engineering, Print and Packaging, Construction industries. FÁS plan to continue to further expand these in the future to continue to meet the needs of industry.

FÁS have also arranged 'Strategic Alliances' with IBEC/SFA, ISME, Chambers Ireland, ICTU and DIT. These are delivering high volume training to indigenous small and medium sized companies, of which approximately 25% are in the manufacturing sector.

In September FÁS approved six more Strategic Alliance projects to support employment prospects through raising skills levels, particularly through training those with low level skills and workers in vulnerable employment. The cost of this training is €8.8 million and it is expected that it will provide for the delivery of training to a total of 3,470 employed people.

Skillnets, the other key provider for training for those in employment, continues to support enterprise-led training on a broad basis and are seeking to encourage an increase in training for those with lower basic skills by offering higher levels of support for projects, which include training for those with lower basic skills. They will invest €24 million this year under this heading and are expected to train approximately 28,500 people.