Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 126: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number in relation to the newly announced FÁS employer based redundant apprentice rotation scheme, and the restrictions in place which exclude those employers who have laid off apprentices since January 2007, of employers in the brick and stonelaying, carpentry and joinery, electrical, plastering and plumbing sectors whom she expects to be in a position to take apprentices on in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7122/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I launched the Employer Based Redundant Apprentice Rotation Scheme on 29th December 2008. The scheme provides support to employers to provide on-the-job training to redundant apprentices while they have released their employed apprentice to a scheduled Phase 4 or Phase 6 off-the-job training phase in the Institutes of Technology. A total of €4 million has been allocated to the scheme to provide up to 500 on-the-job training places during 2009.

To be eligible for the Employer Based Redundant Apprentice Rotation Scheme, employers must not have made an apprentice redundant in the period since 1st January 2007. This eligibility criteria is to ensure that employers, who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the apprentice in the completion of their apprenticeship, would be supported by taking a redundant apprentice into their employment to enable the redundant apprentice to complete their on-the-job training. There are over 2,200 employers for the trades of Bricklaying, Carpentry and Joinery, Electrical, Plastering and Plumbing who are eligible to participate in the Scheme for the rotation period now commencing for the April term.