Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the eligibility criteria for persons who are unemployed to undertake third level education courses under the labour market activation scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22536/10]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 244: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the eligibility criteria for persons who are unemployed to undertake third level education courses under the labour market activation scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22535/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 244 together.

The Labour Market Activation Fund, 2010 is intended to support the provision of training and education programmes for the unemployed - prioritising the low skilled, and those formerly employed in declining sectors such as construction, retail and manufacturing sectors, with particular emphasis on the under 35's and the long-term unemployed. Intending participants on programmes eligible for Fund support must be in receipt of an unemployment payment for a period of at least three consecutive months, or equivalent thereof, before joining the programmes (time spent on training or education programmes will be reckonable for this three-month period). Individual third-level education providers may specify additional entry requirements for courses being offered, depending on the nature of the subjects and level of qualification on graduation, to ensure that applicants are equal to the demands of, and can successfully finish the courses.

A Call for Proposals was issued in March for the provision of training and education programmes for the unemployed to be supported by the Fund. Some 370 tenders were received by the deadline of Thursday 8th April. It is intended that the process of awarding contracts to successful providers will begin shortly, following which successful programme providers will be actively seeking to enrol participants to their programmes.