Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the additional FÁS courses and post leaving certificate courses that have been organised in south Tipperary in order to handle the huge increase of people who are unemployed in the area. [29370/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Unemployment is increasing across the country due to the downturn in the economy and this has impacted on South Tipperary area also. This situation is unwelcome and I share the Deputy's concern in the matter.

This year the Government has almost doubled the number of FÁS activation training and work experience places for the unemployed to over 129,000. This is a substantial increase on the 66,000 places, which were available at the end of last year. The majority of these additional places are on short courses and will be delivered through three core-training initiatives, short courses, night courses and online courses. These courses are designed to develop new skills and competencies for the unemployed to assist them in securing employment.

Other new programmes which have been rolled out for the unemployed are the Work Placement Programme and the Short time Training Programme. The Work Placement Programme is a six-month work experience programme for 2,000 individuals who are currently unemployed. Under this programme individuals will retain their social welfare entitlements. The Short Time Working Training Programmewill provide two days training a week for 277 workers over a 52-week period who are on systematic short time. Participants on this programme will also continue to receive their existing social welfare entitlements.

FÁS is currently providing a number of up-skilling and employment programmes in South Tipperary which is resulting in over 920 people receiving training. Between now and the end of the year FÁS anticipates that a further 12 training courses will commence in South Tipperary, varying in duration from 5 to 27 weeks. This represents a substantial training commitment in the region.

The Department of Education and Science has responsibility for governing post leaving certificate courses. The Department recently announced that it would be providing an additional 1,500 post leaving certificate (PLC) places, which will be available from September, 2009. Of these, ten additional PLC places were allocated to South Tipperary VEC. That brings the total allocation of PLC places for South Tipperary VEC to 280 and demonstrates the Government's continuing priority to support those who have lost their jobs through retraining and education.