John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 103: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons under the age of 25 years on social welfare; the number who are in training or education; the number who have not taken up a training or education place; the number waiting on a place in training or education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17933/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department understands from the Department of Social Protection that the number of persons under the age of 25 years currently in receipt of Jobseeker's Supports, i.e. Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance, is 69,037.

As at end May 2011, there were 21, 953 participants on FÁS training courses. Of these, my Department understands that a total of 9,668 were under 25 years of age.

The total number under the age of 25 currently on waiting lists for FÁS training courses is 7,924.

40,587 learners under 25 years of age are currently availing of Adult and Further Education programmes funded by my Department and operated mainly by Vocational Education Committees (VECs).

In relation to the Higher Education system, I understand from the HEA that it can only provide actual numbers for the 2009/10 academic year in relation to persons who under the age of 25 years. In that regard, the overall number of students under 25 years of age for Institutes of Technology and Universities for the year 2009/2010 was 128,444.

The recent Jobs Initiative increased the number of training and education places available for the unemployed and my Department will continue to explore ways to increase the number of training and education places available for young people.