Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 72: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if adequate funding has been or will be made available to FÁS to facilitate the provision of adequate training facilities to meet the needs of the economic recession; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42063/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Through a regional network of 66 offices and 20 training centres, FÁS provides a comprehensive nationwide service of training programmes as well as providing a recruitment service to jobseekers, an advisory resource for industry and support mechanisms for community-based enterprises. Over the past five years my Department has invested more than €125 million euro in capital expenditure to ensure that FÁS continues to provide high quality facilities for its customers throughout its network. This investment includes a new state-of-the-art training centre in Tallaght and a new Centre of Excellence Training Facility in Co Cork to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in the Pharmaceuticals sector. Major refurbishment projects have also been carried out on FÁS's facilities in Ballyfermot, Finglas, Cork, Sligo and Limerick. I have provided €10 million for capital expenditure in FÁS's 2009 budget.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has provided adequate funding to meet the expected requirements of FÁS in respect of job retraining in the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42064/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In order to meet the challenges of the changing economy there will be greater policy emphasis on activation and training for the unemployed. The budget for FÁS for 2009 was agreed on the basis of detailed discussions between FÁS, my Department and the Department of Finance in the context of the annual Estimates process. A budget of €1,050,488 was allocated to FÁS for 2009.

This includes €450m in respect of Employment Programmes which includes Community Employment and Job Initiative, with a view to maintaining overall numbers on the scheme and the continuation of training for participants.

Within the FÁS budget, the allocation from the National Training Fund for training the unemployed has been increased by €9.5 million to €208.3 million. This funding will help workers who have recently lost their jobs, including redundant apprentices, by providing additional opportunities for training and re-skilling.