Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the numbers of FÁS registered apprentices whose employment has been terminated due to insufficient work being available to sustain their employment as an apprentice; the number who have informed FÁS Services to Business of their redundant status; the number who have registered with their local FÁS employment services office for assistance in securing new employment to enable them to continue their apprenticeship; the way same will take place; the number who have availed of the interim measure whereby apprentices who are made redundant can progress to the next off-the-job training phase of their apprenticeship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43906/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The current apprenticeship population is 26,479 and, of these, FÁS has been notified by 2,859 of these that they have been made redundant. Of these notifications, 2,359 were recorded to date in 2008. All apprentices who become redundant and notify FÁS, either through FÁS Services to Business or FÁS Employment Services, are captured on the same IT system. It tracks the current training and employment status of persons throughout their apprenticeship.

In addition, FÁS has agreed with the Department of Social and Family Affairs that apprentices who make a claim for Jobseeker Allowance/Benefit, will be directly referred to FÁS for assistance. Following such referrals FÁS works closely with apprentices to support them in obtaining suitable employment and to allow them to complete their apprenticeship as soon as possible.

When an apprentice is made redundant, and has notified FÁS or the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the FÁS Services to Business and FÁS Employment Services Divisions work in collaboration to assist the apprentice in finding a new employer to allow them to complete their apprenticeship.

Data regarding the placement of redundant apprentices with new employers is only available on an aggregate basis for 2007/8. During this period 757 redundant apprentices were placed with an employer. During 2007/8 a further 133 redundant apprentices completed their apprenticeships. Redundant apprentices are scheduled for their next off-the-job phase in accordance with the existing scheduling policy and priority is given to getting the apprentice back into employment to complete their apprenticeship with a FÁS approved employer. FÁS continues to work hard to match these redundant apprentices to vacancies in their trade.

The Apprenticeship Management System has been altered as an interim measure to permit redundant apprentices to attend the next off-the-job phase of their training, within the existing scheduling policy. 439 redundant apprentices are attending one of the off-the-job phases (phases 2, 4 and 6) and 505 redundant apprentices have been scheduled to attend on of these off-the-job phases. The detail of these figures is as follows:

Phase 2: 123 of the 2,689 apprentices currently attending phase 2 are classified as redundant. In addition, 68 of the 763 apprentices who are due to attend phase 2 within the next 12 weeks are classified as redundant.

Phases 4 and 6: 316 of the 3,832 apprentices currently attending phases 4 and 6 are classified as redundant. In addition, 437 of the 3,720 apprentices who are due to attend phases 4 and 6 in January 2009 are classified as redundant.