Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 131: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she has taken to solve the problem of graduate retention in the western region; the partnerships that are in place between his Department, third level institutions and enterprise groups to promote graduate retention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28335/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department works closely with many other Government Departments and State Agencies in ensuring the provision of appropriate courses and training which match, the known and future, needs of employers and of students.

My Department, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and FÁS are co-operating in relation to the Work Placement Programme which was jointly launched by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Hanafin, and I on 27 May last. The Work Placement Programme is a six-month work experience programme for an initial 2,000 individuals who are currently unemployed. Under this programme there are two streams each consisting of an initial 1,000 places of 6 months duration. The first stream is for graduates who before this year have attained a full award at level seven or above on the National Framework of Qualifications and who have been receiving Job Seeker's Allowance for the last six months. This scheme will provide invaluable work experience to graduates, including graduates in the western region, who have just left college or have very limited experience of the workplace.