Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of training and work experience activation places funded by her in 2010, broken down by type of course or work experience programme; the funding allocated to each type of course or programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44899/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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This year my Department will fund the provision of over 160,000 training and work experience places for the unemployed through FÁS, Skillnets and the Labour Market Activation Fund. This compares to the 66,000 equivalent places that were delivered in 2008. The table below details the budget and target beneficiaries for each programme in 2010.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 75: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the total funding allocated to FÁS for training of persons seeking employment, broken down according to pay and non-pay funding; the funding allocated to FÁS for training of persons in employment, broken down according to type of programme; the number of training facilities owned by FÁS; the number of persons who have been directly trained by FÁS in 2009 and to date in 2010 respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44900/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is being researched. I will reply substantively to him as soon as possible.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 76: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of successful applicants to the activation fund according to the funding granted; the number who will be trained; the type of education or training that will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44901/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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As part of Budget 2010, the Government announced the creation of a €20 million Labour Market Activation Fund, intended to deliver 3,500 places on training and education programmes for the unemployed. Its objective was to stimulate innovation in the provision of training and activation measures for jobseekers seeking to up-skill and get back into work. The Fund is being targeted to specific priority groups among the unemployed: the low skilled, and those formerly employed in declining sectors - construction, retail and manufacturing sectors, with particular emphasis on the under 35's and the long-term unemployed. Offers of funding were initially made to 26 organisations (Phase 1 projects).

On 5th August, an additional allocation of €12 million, financed in part by savings in proposed European Globalisation Fund expenditure, was made available by the Department of Education and Skills, enabling funding to be offered to 33 additional projects (Phase 2). This brought total funding to €32 million for 59 projects proposing to provide up to 12,000 education and training places for the unemployed. The successful tenderers were spread among public bodies, private training and education providers and not-for-profit organisations. Places offered to unemployed people included courses that range from upskilling courses to higher education programmes with accreditation up to level 8 available to participants.

In the main, Phase 1 projects are meeting their interim targets. As of mid-October some 3,441 or 52% of Phase 1 places were already filled, with further courses coming on stream between November 2010 and January 2011. On the basis of current information, it appears that the targets for places to be provided as set out in tenders by projects can be largely met. Thirty-three projects providing for some 5,400 places in all geographic regions benefited from the second tranche of funding allocated in August. Many projects are still in the process of recruiting participants, and some have yet to sign contracts with the Department of Education and Skills. It is therefore not possible yet to state the total number of beneficiaries from the Fund. A breakdown of the successful programme providers, including the amounts allocated is set out in the attached document. APPENDIX A