Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of places that have been made available to date on labour market activation courses; the number that have been filled on a county basis, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48030/10]

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.

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. This brought total funding to €32 million for 59 projects proposing to provide up to 12,000 education and training places for the unemployed. Twenty-six projects providing for over 6,300 education and training places, in all geographical regions, benefited from the initial fund of €20 million.

In the main, Phase 1 projects are meeting their targets. As of end-November some 5,408 or 87% of Phase 1 places were already filled, with further courses coming on stream in 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 will be 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 of the phase 2 projects are still in the process of recruiting participants and further courses are coming on stream January 2011. In line with contractual arrangements Phase 2 projects are required to submit a progress report on implementation of the project early in 2011. It is therefore not possible yet to state the total number of beneficiaries from the Fund. However figures submitted to date by programme provider indicate that over 60% of place have already been filled.

It has not been possible to provide numbers on a county by county basis. However this data is been collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy in due course.