Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 671: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a list of the all of the applications for Skillnets funding; the county, where applicable, the submission came from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2232/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 672: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason twenty networks which met the Skillnets approval criteria were not granted funding in 2008; the basis on which they were refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2233/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 673: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will publish the scores given to each of the Skillnets Networks approved for funding in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2234/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 671 to 673, inclusive, together.

Skillnets, which is a private company in which the social partners are shareholders, operates the Training Networks Programme on foot of a Funding Agreement and mandate from my Department. Under this Agreement, Skillnets is responsible for decisions on disbursements of funds provided from the National Training Fund, subject to the provisions of the Agreement.

The Agreement stipulates that Skillnets adopt a broadly based approach in terms of supporting training in all enterprise sectors, with emphasis on SMEs and training for the lower skilled. Skillnets is also mandated to seek to support the development of training networks across all regions of the country.

Skillnets is required to support new and existing networks on the basis of open and competitive public calls for proposals and transparent and equitable assessment systems. Accordingly, Skillnets has in place a project assessment system, including predetermined criteria and an evaluation procedure, which includes independent outside assessors. Decisions on applications for funding are for the Skillnets Board.

I am informed by Skillnets that the funding approved for 2008 is sufficient to fund 123 training networks and it is now in the process of agreeing contracts with these projects. On completion of this process, details of approved projects, including their regional spread will be published on the Skillnets Website.

I understand from Skillnets that it was not in a position to fund all of the networks which applied. I would point out that the funding for the Skillnets Training Programmes has been significantly increased by the Government from €7.5 million in 2005 to €26.5 million in 2008.