Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on paying participants in FÁS community employment schemes and FÁS training allowances through the social welfare system and if an estimate has been made of the administrative time and costs that could be saved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17558/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Social and Family Affairs, FÁS and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment are working together to encourage as many people as possible who are on welfare to take up the training, education and employment opportunities offered by FÁS and others. The issue of this Department paying allowances has been considered from time to time. However, there are a number of obstacles, for example the tracking of attendance at courses, which do not make it feasible to change the current arrangements. In the meantime, the Department of Social and Family Affairs is trying to ensure that in cases where someone avails of a FÁS programme and afterwards has to return to social welfare, the transition is as seamless as possible. The Department is conscious of the need to effect efficiencies wherever possible and will continue to explore ways of doing so in the context of delivering the best possible service to claimants across all its schemes.