Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount the 51,000 training places allocated to FÁS will cost; if these 51,000 places will be the result of reallocating existing resources already assigned to FÁS or if she has allocated new funds from the Exchequer; if these courses will be shorter than 12 months in duration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15118/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The cost of the 51,000 FÁS training places I announced on 5 February 2009, is €25.750 million, which has been reallocated from within the FÁS Training Services and Service to Business Divisions and is not the subject of a new allocation of funding from the Exchequer. As with all courses provided by the Training Services Division these courses will be shorter than 12 months in duration.

The aim of these additional places is to help the unemployed to develop new skills and competencies and assist them in securing employment as soon as possible. They will also lead to certification under the National Framework of Qualifications or other recognised certification frameworks.

In addition, in the supplementary budget I announced the creation of a further 18,525 training places for the unemployed at a cost of €61.4 million to bring the total number of training and work experience activation places funded by my Department to approximately 128,000.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 147: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of training courses she estimates will be provided by FÁS in 2009 detailing the different training areas in which courses are provided; her estimate of the size of waiting lists and waiting times to get on courses across the different categories; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15122/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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FÁS, the National Training and Employment Authority, aims to offer a wide range of training courses and delivery methods to suit individual client needs in the development of their skill-sets. In 2009 the Authority estimates that they will be in a position to deliver 6,062 training courses under the Training Services, Community Services and Services to Business categories.

Courses will continue to be adapted to address a changing labour market and, in this respect, FÁS has enhanced the traditional course offerings of specific skills training (SST's) to now include Short Courses, Night Courses and Online Courses as well as Community Based courses. The suite of Short Courses recently developed and expanded by FÁS typically consist of a Preparing for Work Module, which includes Job Seeking and Interview Skills, and one or two technical modules. The Short Course Programme will be delivered through In-Centre Training and Contracted Training. The decision on which courses to offer in a Region will take place based on demand through a process of consultation between Training Services, Employment Services and Services to Business.

While waiting times vary considerably at individual course level a recent customer survey conducted on behalf of FÁS indicated that the average waiting time (between applying for a course and starting) in 2008 was 7.7 weeks compared with 9.7 weeks in 2007. The size of waiting lists across the different course categories very much depends on the course type, duration and capacity and location of the course. Short courses on average run every 4 – 9 weeks which reduces the wait list and increases capacity compared to a traditional course running over a 16 week period.

Courses, where FÁS is the prime recruiter, are broadly classified into 15 main categories and are shown in the following table for the Deputy's information.