Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps the national training fund has taken since December 2008 to provide support for a targeted up-skilling programme to address identified skills gaps as outlined in the Building Ireland's Smart Economy report. [43136/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Training Fund is used as a dedicated fund to support the training and upskilling of those in employment and those who wish to take up employment. It is also used as a fund for research to provide information on existing and likely future skills requirements of the economy.

In 2009 the National Training Fund is investing a total of €381.4 million in training and upskilling. This includes financial support for the Finuas Training Networks Programme launched by the Tánaiste in February 2009 and delivered through Skillnets Limited to provide targeted specialist training to those working in the international financial services industry as identified in the Smart Economy Report. It also includes support to the work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), which advises the Government on current and future skills needs of the economy and on other labour market issues that impact on Ireland's enterprise and employment growth.