Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 83: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on introducing a new type of work scheme for skilled workers in receipt of social welfare payments; if there is a potential for linking in new work schemes with current or planned capital infrastructure projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40975/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has and will continue to formulate and implement new innovative, active labour market polices that have been designed with the aim of maintaining the unemployed, skilled or unskilled, close to the labour market, while crucially providing them with the necessary skills set and experience to ensure they are better equipped to return to employment as soon as possible.

The Work Placement Programme, launched earlier this year, is providing 6 months work experience through-out the country in numerous sectors, for an initial 2,000 unemployed individuals, including graduates. Furthemore, participants on the programme maintain their social welfare entitlements.

To date the programme has been implemented in both the public and private sectors and FAS are continually in the process of trying to match participants with the needs of potential providers. As the programme is currently designed it is possible that participants could receive work opportunities with enterprises engaged in building capital infrastructure projects. This is of course subject to those enterprises registering with FAS work placement opportunities and I would encourage them to do so.