Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 223: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason, in the current economic circumstances, FÁS charges €120 per course in respect of on-line training courses, which would be available to self-employed people who have lost their jobs, and are looking at retraining as an option, and where in the circumstances a series of such courses in the software area might be necessitated, but because self-employed people are not registered as unemployed, or in receipt of jobseeker's assistance, they are compelled to pay for same; her views on whether such on-line training would be a cost effective way of offering assistance to people who were self-employed and whose employment is gone; and if she will request that FÁS reconsider same in this context and in view of the economic climate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31792/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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On-line training courses are available free of charge to all persons who are in receipt of unemployment benefit. FÁS may also allow free access to those persons who have evidence that they are unemployed but who are not in receipt of unemployment benefit. Such cases are decided on an individual case-by-case basis.