Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 90: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of job clubs here; the number of clients they have dealt with individually with a breakdown for every job club in each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on their role in tackling unemployment. [32621/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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FÁS Job Clubs were introduced in 1999 to assist people who were actively seeking employment by providing support for the job search process and an environment in which it could be carried out. Independent Sponsor Groups are contracted by FÁS on a year to year basis to run the programme.

Job Clubs are seen as an important resource and intervention for those who have recently completed training programmes or have recently become unemployed. They provide both a formal and structured input as well as a drop-in resource facility. They also help the individual in overcoming the personal effects of unemployment by providing a mutual support forum from people in a similar situation.

Some 56 Job Clubs nationwide provided formal programmes to the following numbers of clients for the past three years: 2006 6,417 2007 7,100 2008 8,814 I understand that the number of "drop-ins" would be approximately double these figures. During 2009 it is proposed to increase the number of Job Clubs to over 60.

The following table contains a list of throughputs for Job Clubs for 2006 and 2008, a breakdown for 2007 is currently being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy at a later date.