Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 198: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made to date in relation to the introduction of training programmes to either Greencastle or Cork in order to re-train fishermen for the merchant navy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35530/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The primary providers of onshore training in the maritime industry are the National Maritime College of Ireland, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

However, FÁS has in collaboration with the National Maritime College of Ireland, introduced a new Seafaring Safety Skills course at Ringaskiddy in County Cork.

The aim of the course is to provide the learners with the skills and competency to perform as an effective junior member of the deck team on board a merchant ship trading internationally. The new course provides a solid footing to anyone interested in seafaring or a related career. The course is delivered over a period of nine weeks and carries STCW 95 (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers) certification.

The current course has 20 training places and is running from 8 September to 12 December 2008.