Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 77: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether the 2,000 places sanctioned under the work placement programme are sufficient in view of the fact that over 440,000 persons are unemployed at the moment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39987/10]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 96: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the progress of the Work Placement Programme; the take up of people on this programme; the number of places still available in the two streams; her plans to amend and re-evaluate the scheme in any way to ensure that it meets the needs of graduates and the unemployed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36180/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 77 together. Last year, the Government introduced the FÁS Work Placement Programme (WPP) to provide valuable work experience to graduates and non-graduates who are unemployed. The Work Placement Programme provides up to 9 months work experience to unemployed individuals and is open to employers from all sectors of the economy, including the private, public and the community and voluntary sectors. Under the criteria of the programme, potential participants are informed that participation is voluntary and unpaid. However, participants may be able to retain their existing social welfare entitlements for the duration of their placement, subject to individuals satisfying the qualifying requirements of the Department of Social Protection. The programme was reviewed in November 2009, with revised criteria coming into operation from 1st December 2009. The revised criteria considerably increased the accessibility of participants and providers to the programme. The purpose of the Work Placement Programme is to ensure that unemployed individuals are kept close to the labour market and are given the opportunity to enhance their future employment prospects. The programme provides an opportunity for unemployed individuals to enhance existing skills and also to develop new skills in a real work environment so that they will be better positioned to avail of future employment opportunities in the labour market. The programme provides the unemployed with the opportunity to take up a placement in their chosen occupation and gain valuable experience or to work in another sector that may hold better future employment prospects. There are two streams under the programme, the first is for unemployed graduates who have attained a full award at level 7 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications. The second stream, is open to all other unemployed individuals. Since the start of the programme a total of 2,200 people have commenced a placement under the programme. However, as of the 27th October 2010, 1,463 participants were on the programme, 692 on the graduate stream and 771 on the non-graduate stream. It should also be noted that there are a further 1,369 placements potentially available to be filled, 674 on the graduate stream and 695 on the non-graduate stream. My Department is monitoring the progress of the Work Placement Programme on an ongoing basis to ensure that the programme meets the requirements of the unemployed, including unemployed graduates. This is also feeding into further policy and programme development work in the labour market area.