Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 289: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if the short-time working training programme which was launched in April 2009 to support persons in part- time work to enter training has been discontinued; the reasons for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25211/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Short Time Working Training Programme was introduced in May 2009. FÁS administered the programme, which provided training to people on systematic short time for the days they were not working. The programme aimed to provide two days training a week for up to 277 workers. The Department of Social Protection continued to pay participants social welfare entitlements whilst they received this training. A total of 236 people participated on the programme and a further 20 currently remain on it.

Valuable experience and lessons have been learned during the operation of the Short Time Working Programme and this has facilitated Skillnets and has assisted them in their preparations for including unemployed people in their Training Networks Programme. It is intended that this will also include provision for some people on reduced working weeks. Skillnets are now providing training to approximately 10,000 unemployed persons.