Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 594: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps taken since the publication of Building Ireland's Smart Economy - A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal 2009 to 2014 to prioritise flexible learning initiatives targeted at up-skilling the workforce; and the initiatives that will be funded. [17612/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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A range of flexible learning initiatives aimed at up-skilling people who are unemployed were announced as part of the Supplementary Budget in April. These include: • 1,500 new places to enable unemployed people to pursue a third level certificate of degree programme on a part-time basis. Arrangements for the operation of the programme are being developed with a view to implementation from September 2009. • 280 places on a range of newly developed accelerated Level 6 Certificate programmes in the institutes of technology. Under this initiative unemployed persons were offered the opportunity to complete the first year of a standard two year programme in an accelerated manner so that they can move to the second year of the programme in September 2009. There is no charge to participants. • Over 900 places on a range of newly developed part-time transition programmes. These programmes have been developed to assist unemployed people who may be some time out of the formal education system. Courses are free of charge to participants. It is hoped that a significant number of participants on these courses will be encouraged to apply on a direct entry basis for a range of third level certificate and degree programmes commencing in September 2009.

The scope to further develop these initiatives and to identify other appropriate responses which the third level sector can make to support the up-skilling of unemployed people is being examined by a Higher Education Labour Market Response Group, which will report to the Minister by the end of June 2009. In addition, my Department continues to provide funding under the Strategic Innovation Fund to a range of programmes which are developing flexible learning methods to enable lifelong learning and work based learning.