Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 106: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she will take to address the continuing high level of unemployment indicated by the live register figures; if she has plans to provide new training opportunities for persons who have lost their jobs and to encourage the creation of new employment opportunities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4822/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is determined to tackle Ireland's unemployment levels and has introduced a range of measures to address the unemployment challenge by § Firstly, supporting the creation of new jobs, § Secondly, protecting vulnerable jobs and, § Thirdly, supporting the unemployed back into employment through job search, training and work experience supports.

In terms of supporting the creation of new employment opportunities, the State development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, together with the County and City Enterprise Boards assist and promote enterprise development and employment growth in businesses.

Enterprise Ireland has prepared a recovery strategy to identify the actions that will be undertaken to help clients in 2010 and has refocused its efforts on strengthening and sustaining companies of strategic importance through a range of initiatives.

The Enterprise Stabilisation Fund is one such initiative introduced by Government with 148 projects with a value of €58 million approved for funding.

The Government is in the process of reviewing a new strategy for the future direction of FDI, which the IDA has developed and, subject to my approval, it will shortly be published. This strategy will identify the opportunities in the FDI markets, while stressing the importance of restoring our relative international competitiveness if we are to maximise FDI potential.

Despite the global turbulence 2009 was a good year for inward investments, with the IDA winning 125 investments and already in 2010 there have been 7 announcements with a potential to create at least 280 jobs in Dublin, Galway and Tullamore.

The County and City Enterprise Boards provide support for small businesses in the start-up and expansion phases. Job creation is an inherent consideration in the activities of the Boards. The Boards provide assistance through direct grant aid to businesses and a range of other important business supports designed to boost employment creation.

To protect vulnerable jobs and to prevent people being made redundant the Government introduced the Employment Subsidy Scheme last year. Between this year and last €135 million has been allocated to this Scheme and it is expected that this will either directly or indirectly protect 80,000 jobs.

To support the unemployed, the Government have almost doubled the capacity of the FÁS job search support services, to an annual National Employment Action Plan referral capacity of 147,000 persons. In addition, this year the total number of training and work experience activation places funded by my Department will be 147,000.

In Budget 2010 my Department received an additional €90 million to train the unemployed and this will enable my Department to train a further 16,500 people compared to last year. This provision is comprised of an additional 9,000 FAS training courses, the new Labour Market Activation Fund, which will provide at least 3,500 training places, and the 3,500 places to be delivered through the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. It also includes the 500 additional Community Places the Government will provide this year bringing the total Community Employment places to 23,300.

Finally, last year the Government introduced the Work Placement Programme to provide the unemployed with up to 9 months work experience. This programme aims to keep participants active and close to the labour market and will provide them with on-the-job training and valuable experience.