Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 188: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the breakdown of the progress in filling the 16,525 training places being provided by her, announced in the supplementary budget of 7 April 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30527/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The total number of training and work experience activation places funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment through FÁS in 2009 stands at over 130,000. This compares to the 66,000 equivalent places that were delivered in 2008. The breakdown of the 16,525 training and work experience activation places announced in the April 2009 Budget includes the following:

An additional 13,848 training places which have been incorporated into the overall total of 92,000 FÁS training places available for 2009. Currently, FÁS is on target to meet this overall total, including the additional training places.

Three hundred and twelve (312) of the 400 additional places, allocated to Community Employment have been filled to date, with the remaining 88 places being filled in the coming weeks. This will bring the number of places overall on Community Employment to 22,780 when the extra 400 places have been filled.

2,000places have been created on the new Work Placement Programme, which is providing six-month places to individuals who are unemployed including graduates.

Under the Short-Time Workers Training Programme277 workers who are on a 3-day week and receiving social welfare payments for the 2 days they are not working will receive training for these days.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 189: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of young people aged 18 to 24 years who are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit and assistance who have been interviewed and directly assessed by FÁS and local employment service personnel with a view to progression to education, training or employment; the breakdown of the assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30528/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Under the National Employment Action Plan Preventive Strategy, persons on the Live Register who reach certain unemployment duration thresholds and who are in receipt of the Jobseeker's Allowance/Benefit are systematically referred by the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) to FÁS and Local Employment Service personnel for assistance. As part of this process, just over 8,100 clients, who crossed the three month unemployment thresholds and who were aged 18 to 24 years, were referred to FÁS between January and June 2009.

Out of this total, by the end of July 2009:

,300 had not attended for interview

Over 5,600 had attended for interview by FÁS. 2,366 were placed/signed off the Live Register, of whom:

685 secured employment

614 were placed on a FÁS programme

57 returned to education

46 were in receipt of other DSFA benefits

64 had gone abroad

Just over 934 had signed off for other/unknown reasons 3,179 were still on the Live Register, of whom:

Approximately 1,100 were still engaged, with support from FÁS, in identifying appropriate training/employment options for employment

Over 700 had been referred to a training programme

85 had been referred to an education option

134 had dropped out of the process

Over 60 were not yet ready to progress onto the labour market

Approximately 1,100 were considered to be job-ready without further intervention, and were continuing to seek employment.

FÁS Employment Services provides a fully integrated nationwide range of services and supports to assist all Jobseekers and Job Changers, who can register at one of the 71 local FÁS offices nationwide, for on-site career guidance and job placement services. In addition, FÁS Employment Services is the "Gateway" to all FÁS training and employment programmes for Jobseekers and Job Changers.