Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are any grants available for small businesses to send their employees on part time courses to help them support and improve their business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33552/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that Skillnets receives funding from the National Training Fund (NTF) through my Department to support companies from any sector or region to engage in training by co-investing in the delivery of training with member companies of networks. Skillnets works in partnership with enterprise, in particular SMEs, by supporting the development of flexible and effective training delivery methods and enterprise has full decision-making power and can customise training to its specific needs.

Companies can avail of subsidised training by joining a Skillnet network. The member companies contribute match funding to a ratio agreed by the network and Skillnets. Full details are available on the Skillnets website at www.skillnets.ie

In addition, the full range of FÁS night courses are open to employees and these are available, on a fee paying basis, in the various FÁS Training Centres countrywide. Full details are available on the FÁS website at www.fas.ie.