Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 116: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of places filled under the short-time working training programme; the amount spent on the scheme; when the scheme commenced and when it is due to wind up; the number of employers involved; if she will provide any information she has on any reviews of the effectiveness of the scheme; her plans to expand the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40224/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Pilot Short Time Working Training Programme was introduced in May 2009. FÁS initially administered the programme, which aimed to provide training to people on systematic short time for the days they are not working. The programme aimed to provide two days training a week for up to 277 workers over a 52-week period and they received training free of charge for these two days. The Department of Social Protection continues to pay participants social welfare entitlements whilst receiving this training.

In the 2010 budget, FÁS was not allocated funding for the Short Time Working Training Programme, instead Skillnets has been providing for its inclusion in its training networks programme (TNP) of limited numbers of unemployed persons with the emphasis, where possible, on priority cohorts on the live register. It is intended that this will also include provision for some people on reduced working weeks and this supersedes the FÁS Short Time Working Training Programme initiative. Skillnets are now providing training to approximately 4,800 unemployed persons. Skillnets have embarked on an initiative to provide learning support to the unemployed via existing structures of networks who support the learning needs of the unemployed. This has resulted in a very high standard of quality and depth of the support for the unemployed.

In June 2010, Skillnets surveyed unemployed individuals who trained with networks between June and May. 86% of all respondents agreed that the training increased their chances of securing employment. Since completing Skillnets training, one in five people secured work, one in four progressed into further education/training and one in seven became self employed. FÁS are currently in the process of collating other specific information requested about the Short Time Working Training Programme and when this information becomes available FÁS will forward it directly to the Deputy.