Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 192: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the active labour market or back-to-work measures in operation here; the funding allocated to each of these measures and the total funding allocation for each of the years 2007, 2008 projected and 2009 budgeted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37280/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates a range of active labour market programmes and back to work measures, mainly through FÁS and Skillnets. The total programme allocation under the main measures in 2007 was €892 million. The projected programme budget for 2008 is €922.3 million and a breakdown of measures is set out in the table.

A detailed breakdown, by measure, of the budget for 2009 is currently under discussion with FÁS and Skillnets.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 193: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the active labour market or back-to-work measures which have been introduced by her Department since May 2007 to date in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37281/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government, with the National Training and Employment Authority, FÁS constantly reviews its labour market programme provision, taking into account client demand, placement, labour market trends and stakeholder feedback. Since 2007, my Department and FÁS have continued to implement a suite of active labour market and back to work measures with a particular focus on job-search, training and employment programmes.

In addition, since May 2007 the following training programmes, covering a broad range of industrial sectors, have been introduced:

Bio-Pharmaceutical process operations;

Sustainable energy training for qualified workers in Solar heating, Geothermal heating and Biomass heating;

Digital media skills;

Computer-aided engineering;

Seafaring skills;

Financial services;

Retail skills;

Medical Secretary Traineeship;

Service Sales Fitter;

Introductory IT Skills and Personal Skills;

English language for migrant workers;

Television and Video Production.

In the context of other supports, FÁS further extended the Technical Employment Service Grant in 2007 in order to provide FÁS Employment Service Officers (ESOs) with a flexible fund to provide a tailored response to meet the needs of individual clients. A fund of up to €2,500 per client can be made available and is used to meet a need that has been identified, through the guidance process, in order to support the individual in entering or re-entering the labour market. For instance, by way of:

Funding a short training/education programme;

Providing assistance in purchasing clothing to attend a job interview or assistance with travel costs to attend an interview;

Providing assistance in purchasing tools to allow a person to take up particular employment.

In response to the sharp downturn in the construction sector FÁS has put in place measures to assist redundant Apprentices in finding alternative employment. It has agreed with the Department of Social and Family Affairs that Apprentices, on making a claim for Jobseeker Allowance/Benefits, are immediately referred to FÁS for assistance. Following this immediate referral, FÁS works closely with the apprentice to support them in obtaining suitable employment in order to allow them to complete their apprenticeship.

FÁS has also provided a ring-fenced €500,000 budget under the Technical Employment Support Grant to fund customised and flexible training programmes for redundant construction workers to enable them to return to employment as soon as possible.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 194: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the active labour market or back-to-work measures under development by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37282/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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An additional €9.5 million has been provided from the National Training Fund in the 2009 FÁS budget to provide additional training for the unemployed. My Department, through its National Employment and Training Authority, FÁS has a number of measures currently under development that are designed to assist both those who have recently been made redundant as well as those who have become distanced from the labour market.

Approximately 50 short duration courses are in development covering a broad range of specific skills related to a cross section of business and industry sectors encompassing logistics and warehousing, sales, marketing, information technology, industrial maintenance, engineering, construction, security, entrepreneurship, healthcare and sustainable energy. The courses are typically 6-8 weeks duration and lead to formal qualifications under the National Framework of Qualifications. They are tailored for recently unemployed persons who require short focused training intervention related to specific skill areas. FÁS intends to broaden its evening course provision and make these courses available to unemployed persons on a non-fee paying basis. A number of long duration specific skills courses are also in development in the categories of Sound Engineering, Interactive Media, Electro Mechanical Automation, Retail Banking Services and Childcare Supervision.

In the context of the recent job losses within the construction sector, a new training facility is scheduled to open this year to cater for the needs of unemployed construction workers. Courses will be offered to allow these workers to up-skill and broaden their existing skills. My Department has also provided for FÁS in 2009 to support the employment of redundant apprentices so that those apprentices can finish their training. For 18-20 year olds who are on the live register FÁS is developing a programme designed to prevent them from drifting into long-term unemployment. For those who are more distanced from the labour market, a new programme for the long-term unemployed and early school leavers, with high support mentoring and targeted interventions, will be launched in December 2008.

In relation to other support measures, FÁS has recently concluded a major review of the suite of Job Clubs currently funded by FÁS. As a result, responsibility for the monitoring and administration of Job Clubs will transfer within FÁS to its Employment Services Division in order to strengthen the range of supports and back to work measures for unemployed people. The Job Club model is being augmented to provide a more focused support to 'job-ready' clients with a view to assisting them in returning to work in the shortest possible time. Furthermore, each of FÁS' Training Centres will have a dedicated Job Club as part of an overall enhancement to its services.

Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 195: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the training and other supports her Department has developed to assist workers who are unable to secure employment due to the downturn in the construction industry. [37326/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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FÁS has provided a ring-fenced €500,000 budget under the Technical Employment Support Grant to fund customised and flexible training programmes for redundant construction workers to enable them to return to employment as soon as possible. The fund is targeted on the provision of retraining opportunities for redundant construction workers in emerging areas such as the installation of energy efficient and renewable technologies within the construction sector.

My Department and FÁS have also put in place a series of actions to facilitate redundant apprentices within the construction industry in completing their studies:

FÁS, through their Employment Services Division, are focusing on assisting redundant apprentices to source employment, in order that they can complete their apprenticeship by receiving the appropriate on-the-job training and undertaking the associated competence-based assessments;

Apprentices who are made redundant are now allowed to progress to their next off-the-job training phase of their apprenticeship, without having to do the next on-the-job phase beforehand.

My Department and FÁS will continue to monitor the trends and activities in the construction industry and will work with all of the relevant stakeholders to ensure timely and satisfactory responses to assist redundant apprentices to complete their apprenticeships. In addition FÁS is also assisting individuals in anyway they can in seeking employment abroad in construction in other EU countries. In this context FÁS has held successful European construction jobs fairs for employers from other EU countries this year in both Dublin and Cork.