Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 301: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employees that remained in employment as a result of the employee retention grant scheme for each of the years 2004, 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007 in tabular readable form. [26559/07]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employers that have availed of the employee retention grant scheme for each of the years 2004, 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007; and the cost of this scheme to the Exchequer for each of these years in tabular readable form. [26594/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 302 together.

The purpose of the Employee Retention Grant Scheme is to assist employers to retain employees who acquire an illness, condition or impairment which impacts on their ability to work. The scheme is open to all companies in the private sector. Funding is available to support the retention of any existing employee, at any level or occupation within the company. FÁS does not have readily available data on the number of employers or employees availing of the Employee Retention Grant Scheme over the years in question. Equally, FÁS does not have information on those retained in employment. This information is being assembled by FÁS and will be provided directly to the Deputy at the very earliest possible opportunity. The annual budgets and expenditures on the Employee Retention Grant Scheme from 2004 to date are in the attached tabular statement.