Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 144: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of placement officers working in each FÁS office, on a part-time and full-time basis; the number of days these officers are available to meet with clients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2437/10]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 145: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of placement officers working in a FÁS office (details supplied); if they are working on a part- or full-time basis; if it is intended to increase the number of placement officers in the FÁS office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2438/10]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.

The following table details the number of Employment Services Officers (ESOs), on a whole-time equivalent basis, based in each FÁS Employment Services Office:

The availability of Employment Services Officers to meet the public varies from office to office and is determined to a great extent by the office staffing level, the demand for the service and certain outreach initiatives covered by the office, e.g. servicing clinics in other locations. However most offices are open to the public from Monday to Friday and provide an interview service to the public on a walk-in basis or by appointment. In addition, each office meets with clients, on an appointment basis, who were referred by the Department of Social and Family Affairs under the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP). ESOs also schedule these clients, among others, for follow up interviews and discussions.

FÁS is prioritising the allocation of resources to its front line services through an internal redeployment of staff to service the needs of a significant increase in the number of jobseeker's presenting to FÁS offices and to meet the substantial increase in the number of clients referred to FÁS by the Department of Social and Family Affairs under the NEAP. In relation to the latter, FÁS has arranged for the direct referral of an agreed number of NEAP clients to the network of Local Employment Services (LES) as part of a major increase in interview capacity in the dual-stranded National Employment Service comprised of FÁS Employment Services and the LES.

FÁS interviewed almost 110, 000 new registrants from January to November 2009 (December data will be available shortly), including almost 65, 000 clients referred by Department of Social and Family Affairs under the NEAP process. In addition and as a result of the significant increase in company closures and redundancies in 2009, FÁS provided a responsive and customised service to a vast range of companies and employees affected, e.g. Dell, SR Technics, Waterford Crystal, etc. This included the provision of one-to-one guidance support, assistance/advice with CV preparation and interview techniques, tailored individual and group training programmes.