Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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230. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of citizens who have graduated from the ICT skills conversion courses which began from March 2012 and are supported by her Department. [23058/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Over 700 people have been supported under the first phase of the ICT graduate skills conversion courses rolled out from March 2012. A total of 423 people are due to graduate from these programmes by the end of May 2013 and the remainder will complete their programmes before the end of the year. Arrangements for an evaluation of the first phase of the initiative to be carried out over the coming months are being finalised. This will include include inputs from participants, providers and enterprise stakeholders.

More than 760 new places are also being rolled out under the second phase of the conversion programmes. Graduate jobseekers can apply for the programmes online on the dedicated information and applications website www.ictskills.ie.

The programmes are free of charge to participants and all suitably qualified jobseekers are eligible to apply regardless of their employment status. While participation on the programmes does not create an entitlement to receive any income support payment, participants who are in receipt of a jobseekers payment may be able to maintain their income support provided they meet the criteria set by the Department of Social Protection.