Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures FÁS has put in place to enable person (details supplied) in Dublin 22 and approximately 20 young persons currently receiving work experience with Dublin City Council to finish their carpentry apprenticeships after the period currently covered by FÁS, which ends on 1 December 2011, which will leave them short of the work experience period needed for qualification by between 10 and 20 weeks. [30812/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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My Department contacted FÁS about the apprenticeship status of the person in question. FÁS has advised that this person is a redundant Carpentry and Joinery apprentice. In order to qualify as a craftsperson, a Carpentry and Joinery apprentice must be employed by a FÁS-approved employer and complete all seven alternating on-the-job and off-the-job phases of his/her apprenticeship, which is a minimum of four years (208 weeks) in duration from the date of registration, as well as achieving the qualifying standard throughout their apprenticeship. The economic downturn has resulted in many apprentices being unable to complete their apprenticeships in the normal manner. However, FÁS has introduced a range of initiatives to allow apprentices complete their apprenticeships without undermining the integrity of the apprenticeship system. The Redundant Apprentice Scheme (RAPS) and the Competency Determination Mechanism (CDM) are two such initiatives. The RAPS allows redundant apprentices to complete the on-the-job phases of their apprenticeship. The CDM has been introduced by FÁS to enable eligible redundant apprentices to complete their apprenticeships, if they are short of the minimum time requirements.

I understand that FÁS placed the person in question on the RAPS with Dublin City Council. I understand he has successfully completed the equivalent Phase 5 (26 weeks) of his apprenticeship with Dublin City Council and is currently on the equivalent Phase 7 (12 weeks) of his apprenticeship with Dublin City Council. He is scheduled to complete his participation on RAPS on 2 December 2011. The person requires an additional 11 weeks of employment to officially complete his apprenticeship. He will be eligible to participate in the CDM. FÁS has advised that in order to progress apprentices through CDM, it is imperative to operate a transparent and equitable scheduling system for eligible apprentices. The FÁS CDM scheduling system is designed to call eligible apprentices on a longest waiting basis. FÁS directly contacts eligible apprentices when their participation on RAPS is successfully completed and their apprenticeship status returns to 'Redundant'. FÁS will offer the person in question an opportunity to participate in CDM when he successfully completes RAPS and his apprenticeship status returns to 'Redundant' on a longest waiting basis.