Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on increasing the number of facilitators in her Department in view of the growing numbers of unemployed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17019/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The department's facilitators work with social welfare recipients of working age in order to determine their needs and arrange through direct provision or jointly with other agencies, appropriate training and developmental programmes to equip them to progress to employment, training or further education. The current economic climate has determined that a large part of a facilitator's work at present is with people on the live register. Facilitators are located throughout the country and are assigned to cover a geographical area. For people on the live register the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) is the main welfare to work measure. Under the National Employment Action Plan customers on the Live Register are referred to FÁS as they approach 3 months with a view to assisting them enter/re-enter the labour market.

The facilitator service was enhanced under the National Development Plan (NDP) Social and Economic Participation Programme. There are currently 60 facilitators in place, with a further 10 due for appointment, bringing the total in place to 70. The facilitators in each region are managed by a regional coordinator. Clerical support for facilitators is provided centrally by employment support services section.

Facilitators work in co-operation with other relevant service providers such as FÁS, VECs, the Adult Education Guidance Initiative, the HSE and other local agencies. The number of facilitators in place, their workload, and the effectiveness of the service will continue to be monitored under the National Development Plan (NDP).