Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 38: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether the 2000 places sanctioned under the work placement programme are sufficient in view of the fact that over 440,000 people are unemployed at the moment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43777/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Last year, the Government introduced the FÁS Work Placement Programme (WPP) to provide valuable work experience for unemployed individuals. 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.

Since the start of the programme a total of 2,574 people have commenced a placement under the programme and as of the 3rd December there were a further 1,258 placements potentially available to be filled. In Budget 2011, as part of its response to the level of unemployment the Government announced the expansion of the Work Placement Programme from the current 2,000 places to 7,500 places. 5,000 of the additional places are in the public sector. Public sector bodies will be encouraged to actively participate in the programme and offer more placement opportunities to the unemployed. The other 500 places are to be provided for graduates in the private sector.

In addition to the WPP, the Government will also provide a broad range of training and employment places, Further Education places and Higher Education places next year. The unemployed will be able to access these places. Next year's provision for the unemployed also includes a new €20 million Higher Education Activation Fund, enhanced measures to assist redundant apprentices and a new Skills Development and Internship Programme that is intended to be operational before the end of the first quarter in 2011.