Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 79: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the capacity of FÁS in terms of the maximum number of national employment action plan interviews that are possible given current staffing levels and work practices. [34370/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the National Employment Action Plan, the National Employment Services (NES) provides a dual-stranded approach from FÁS and Local Employment Services (LES) to systematically engage with unemployed people on reaching three months unemployment. As part of this process, the Department of Social Protection refers people in receipt of unemployment payments to the National Employment Services. Services offered include vocational guidance/counselling, information on job opportunities, assistance with CV preparation and interview techniques, access to employment programmes and skills training. Particular emphasis is placed on the identification of training needs and on the provision of tailored responses. National Employment Action Plan clients are given priority in accessing training provided by FÁS Training Services.

The capacity of the NES is due to reach an annualised rate of over 150,000 by end of 2010. In addition, there are a significant number of clients who self-refer and receive a service from the National Employment Service on a daily basis.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number, in whole-time equivalent terms, of employment service staff in FÁS and in the local employment services, with a breakdown for each and a breakdown by staff type. [34371/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The number of employment services staff in FÁS is set out in the following table. These figures do not include staff involved in policy development. FÁS contracts for the provision of the Local Employment Service with 24 partnership companies across the country, with the exception of the Kildare Local Employment Service which is provided through a county based organisation. Local Employment Service staff are not employees of FÁS. Details of the full-time equivalent staffing structure within the Local Employment Service network are also set out in the following table.