Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she proposes to take to ensure that all under 20 year old jobseekers have access to a training course. [16993/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department through FÁS, the National Training and Employment Authority, is actively working to ensure increased accessibility to the range of services and supports for all jobseekers including those who are under 20 years of age. In light of the increase in unemployment FÁS has significantly increased the number of front-line staff, through an internal redeployment of resources, to provide direct support to jobseekers.

In the supplementary Budget of 7 April last I announced a number of specific activation measures including a Work Experience Scheme aimed at providing 2000 six-month work experience placements for young people, graduates and other unemployed persons who have just left college or have very limited experience of the workplace. Discussions are ongoing between my Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs and it is expected that these discussions will be finalised in the very near future when further details will be available pertaining to this scheme.

The Government is also determined to assist redundant apprentices complete their apprenticeships, many of which are under 20 years of age. We have initiated several measures, which will see over 3,600 redundant apprentices being able to progress their apprenticeships this year. The measures to assist redundant apprentices include the employer based rotation scheme, which will assist up to 500 individuals, the agreement between ESB Networks and FÁS to provide training opportunities to up to 400 redundant electrical apprentices and the interim changes introduced by FÁS to enable 2,000 redundant apprentices progress to their next off-the-job phase without having completed the previous on-the-job phases.

Under the Youthreach Programme FÁS also delivers 2,300 places through its Community Training Centres. The programme is directed unemployed young early school leavers aged 15-20 who are offered the opportunity to identify and pursue viable options within adult life, and provides them with opportunities to acquire certification.

The Government remains intent on achieving greater capacity within existing resources to meet the on-going challenges in the labour market. In this context we will continue to bring forward further measures to make training and education services available to a greater number of job-seekers, including those under 20 years of age, to ensure timely and comprehensive access to the full range of services provided by FAS.