Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the numbers of FÁS training places lost in the cuts of budget 2011; the actions he may now be considering to remedy this deficiency in coming weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9948/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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FÁS will deliver at least 90,000 training places for the unemployed in 2011. When compared to the number of FÁS training places delivered in 2010 this is a reduction of 24,000 places. This reduction occurred because of the following reasons; o FÁS budget for training the unemployed was reduced by €37 million in Budget 2011, o FÁS will be providing more courses of longer duration in 2011 thereby reducing capacity, o FÁS must invest more resources into ensuring the quality of its courses and, o There have been significant reductions in FÁS staff due to the Employment Control Framework.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment that the Government within the first 100 days of taking office will provide a Jobs Initiative. The Jobs Initiative will deliver a minimum of an additional 15,000 places in training, work experience and educational opportunities for those who are out of work as committed to in the Programme for Government. Details of these additional activation places will be contained in the forthcoming Jobs Initiative, which is due to be announced later this month.