Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the action she will take to ensure the gateway women's training project will continue to deliver quality accredited FETAC level three and level five training courses despite the recent operational changes in FÁS that no longer allow for second training providers such as Gateway and the blocking of the organisations quality assurance application due to no new applications for provider registration being accepted following the establishment of SOLAS. [34092/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As part of the reorganisation of functions and services in support of people who are unemployed, the community and employment support services of FÁS are being transferred to the Department of Social Protection. The legislative changes to give effect to these changes have been put in place and FÁS staff will complete the transfer to my Department in January 2012. As a consequence of these changes, the current practice whereby the Training Standards Quality Assurance System of FÁS processes FETAC certificate requests on behalf of a small number of education and training providers, such as the Gateway project, will be discontinued on 5th December 2011.

The Gateway project has been advised of the changes and of the opportunities to source alternative arrangements for the processing of FETAC applications. My understanding is that Gateway is currently linking with other providers with a view to accessing FETAC certificates. FÁS is also actively engaged so as to ensure that the matter is resolved in a satisfactory manner.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost benefit analysis of the laundry services at Farranferris, County Cork operated by FÁS; the extent if any to which this service is subsidised by the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34093/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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A community laundry service is operated by a community based organisation as part of its training and development centre based in Farranferris College on the north side of Cork City. FÁS provides funding of approximately €149,000 per annum in total to the laundry to support six work placements under the community employment programme and a further three under the job initiative programme. The Deputy should note that FÁS does not have any direct operational involvement in the delivery or management of the laundry service and matters relating to the value for money or effectiveness of the services offers by the company are primarily a matter for the Board of Management of the organisation.

The organisation in question was established by community interests to provide training and work experience for the unemployed of the area. The centre currently provides a range of training and work placement opportunities in the North Cork City area to over 350 people in the area. Services provided with the support of people on work placements include child care, catering, woodwork, home insulation, laundry, security training, community administration, gardening, and historical research. It is a condition of funding that services offered by the organisation do not displace or substitute employment offered locally by other providers either private, voluntary or public sector.