Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 349: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of apprentices from the Munster area who each year attend the FÁS apprentice block release sheet metal fabrication course at the Bolton Street College of Technology, for the past three years; the feasibility of doing this course nearer the homes of these apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8814/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Over the period 2005-2007 a total of 273 apprentices attended Phase 4 and Phase 6 of the Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Programme in the Dublin Institute of Technology, Bolton Street. Of these 81 were from the Munster area.

Dublin Institute of Technology Bolton Street is the only provider in the State of the Phase 4 and Phase 6 programmes in Sheet Metal and has been so for many years. The Dublin Institute of Technology has the necessary expertise and resources to support the training of Sheet Metal Apprentices at Phase 4 and Phase 6 to the required standard.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of apprentices from outside Dublin who are compelled to do their FÁS apprenticeship block release courses in Dublin each year; his views on the difficulty and financial hardships being encountered by these apprentices in finding short let accommodation in Dublin; the advice and assistance in place to help these apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8815/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The training of apprentices for the off-the-job training elements of the FÁS Apprenticeship Programme for Phase 4 and Phase 6 is provided by the Department of Education and Science through the Institutes of Technology and Colleges of Further Education. In 2007, the Department of Education and Science provided to FÁS 11,133 places nationally for Phase 4 and Phase 6 in the Institutes of Technology and Colleges of Further Education.

FÁS schedules apprentices on the longest waiting basis, based on home address to the nearest Institute of Technology or College of Further Education, depending on programme availability and capacity in the respective Institute of Technology and College of Further Education. The number of Apprentices who were scheduled to attend Institutes of Technology and Colleges of Further Education in Dublin for the Phase 4 and Phase 6 off-the-job training programmes in 2007, who had a home address outside of Dublin, was 1,579 of which 255 were from Munster.

FÁS provides a training allowance to each apprentice attending a Phase 4 and Phase 6 off-the-job training programme and this is supplemented by the provision of an accommodation allowance for those required to secure accommodation for their attendance at their scheduled off–the-job training programme. FÁS also provides to apprentices, on request, information on accommodation availability in the Dublin Region.