Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 507: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on maximising synergy with initiatives aimed at educational disadvantage and skill levels whilst working through existing delivery agencies in County Donegal in conjunction with LYIT and Magee University in Derry, in view of live register figures for Buncrana showing total unemployment for men under 25 is up 50% since April 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11391/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The implementation of the National Skills Strategy and, in particular, the work of the inter Departmental Group now set up to oversee its implementation will contribute to maximising synergies on programmes that address educational disadvantage and upskilling needs. These synergies will result from cooperative workings of the various education and training programmes provided through the agencies of my Department and those of the Department of Education and Science. Such cooperative and cross-border endeavour is something that I fully support.

As the Deputy is aware, the Quarterly National Household Survey that is collated and published by the Central Statistics Office measures unemployment. The most recent such, deals with the fourth quarter of 2007 and indicates that employment has increased by 66,800 in that year. The national unemployment rate is currently at 4.5%. Unemployment in the Border region (which includes Donegal/Buncrana) stands at 5.5%.

FÁS provides an integrated support service for workers made redundant. This involves information sessions, skills analysis, training/re-training courses and job placement supports. In the delivery of these services, FÁS liaises with other relevant agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and City/County Enterprise Boards. It also works in close contact with the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA). Both organisations have particularly close working linkages in Inishowen and seek to jointly play a supportive and pro-active role in servicing the needs of those seeking work or further training or education. In this regard eight Activation Seminars were held in the course of last year throughout Inishowen. These centred on unemployment black spots as identified by live register figures. Such Seminars will be held again this year.

On 5 March last both FÁS and the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DFSA) jointly organised a careers fair in Buncrana. This also had a cross-border reach with representatives from the Department of Employment & Learning (DEL) in Northern Ireland, EURES and representative employer organisation being prominently involved.

More than 950 job seekers in total attended this careers/job recruitment fair. There were 450 jobs on offer on the day involving 27 employers who were almost equally drawn from each side of the border. In advance the DSFA jobs facilitator identified and contacted 561 people — all under 30 years old and living within the Buncrana employment exchange district. As follow-on, and in addition to the normal suite of training programmes, the FÁS Community Services Unit in the North-West region is currently supporting a Wider Horizons Programme for this age group.

In addition, FÁS and the Department of Education and Learning in Northern Ireland have jointly developed and are currently piloting a training programme that is named Workforce 21. It is for workers at risk of becoming unemployed and those who are educationally disadvantaged through lack of relevant work skills. The project focuses in the North West region, with special emphasis being placed on Border towns such as Buncrana. The programme comprises: Soft Skills Training; Individual Skill Audits; Aptitude Testing and; Specific Skills Training. To date 190 participants from both sides of the Border have participated in Workforce 21, including participants from the Buncrana area.

The Department of Education and Science through their Further Education programmes also aim to enhance the employability of their participants. Its principle programmes include: the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS); Youthreach; Traveller Training; Post Leaving Certificate Courses; The part-time Back to Education Initiative (BTEI).

Other Further Education programmes, such as the part-time adult literacy and community education programmes, seek to relieve educational disadvantage. County Donegal Vocational Education Committee provides these range of programmes in the Buncrana region to all those wishing to participate in them.

In 2006 Strategic Innovation Fund was introduced to support projects to enhance collaboration in the education sector; to improve teaching and learning; to support institutional reform; to promote access and lifelong learning; and to support the development of fourth level education. It is envisaged that €510m will be allocated for this fund between 2006 and 2013 to higher-education institutions. The Letterkenny Institute of Technology is a collaborative partner in a number of new access, life-long learning and upskilling projects funded through the Strategic Innovation Fund.

Finally, the Letterkenny Institute of Technology has recently secured funding from the Strategic Innovation Fund to lead a project with the University of Ulster entitled the North West Gateway Strategic Alliance Project. This will focus on developing increased opportunities for cross-border collaboration. A scoping study will be the basis on which the complete specification for the strategic alliance will be based. The views of stakeholders, the needs of the North West Gateway region and the respective operating environments of partner institutions will inform this remit of the study.