Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 134: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of persons who are currently on waiting lists for FÁS training schemes; the number of these who were previously self-employed before becoming unemployed; the waiting time for persons on the waiting lists to start their courses; if she will provide a breakdown of the figures per administrative region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42118/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I understand from FÁS that as at 16 November 2009 the number of persons who were currently on waiting lists for FÁS training schemes totalled 41,157. The following table breaks this figure down into regions.

Waiting times vary considerably among courses and depend on the type of course being applied for as well as its duration and the capacity of each class. For example short (modular) courses that on average run every 4-9 weeks have a shorter waiting time when compared to traditional longer courses that would tend to run from 10-49 weeks. The previous status of persons applying for FÁS courses is not transferred to FÁS by the Department of Social and Family Affairs, only their current unemployed status. Every effort is being made by FÁS to reduce course waiting times to an absolute minimum.