Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 134: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the timeline for the implementation of the new activation fund in terms of dates; the way proposals will be judged; if she will be issuing guidelines or terms of reference for groups hoping to make a proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4678/10]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 136: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when a call for proposals for the activation fund will be issued; the person who will be charged with examining these proposals and allocating funds; if there will be representation of unemployment groups and the community sector on the awarding authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4677/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 151: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way the activation fund will be distributed in terms of geographic spread and equal regional allocation; if preference will be given to proposals that operate in blackspots of unemployment; if preference will be given to proposals that focus training and employment in local communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4679/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 134, 136 and 151 together.

The Labour Market Activation Fund announced in the Budget 2010 is intended to provide additional effective training and education opportunities to the unemployed. It will specifically target the low skilled and those suffering from structural unemployment in the manufacturing, construction and retail sectors, and will seek to prioritise young people and those over one year unemployed.

The Government have made €20 million available for the Labour Market Activation Fund in 2010 and it is expected that a call for expressions of interest will issue very shortly with subsequent successful proposals starting to come on stream as soon as possible when contracts are awarded. All sectors of the economy including the public, private and community and voluntary sectors will be able to submit their proposals, which will be processed through my Department.