Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to ensure that sufficient funding will be set aside in the 2008 services to business budget of FÁS to provide for the upskilling of small to medium sized enterprise employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4195/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The budget for FÁS is agreed on the basis of detailed discussions between FÁS, my Department and the Department of Finance in the context of the annual Estimates process. The combined Exchequer and National Training Funds allocated to FÁS for 2008 will amount to €1,082,919. This represents a 3% increase on the Revised Estimates for 2007 and includes an additional amount of €1.7m from the National Training Fund to increase capacity for upskilling and in-company training. I am satisfied that the level of funding available is sufficient to support the ongoing upskilling of employees of small to medium sized businesses.