Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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158. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the work undertaken by the County Kildare Local Employment Service Network; in view of the fact that the network spent approximately €170,000 in training costs for unemployed clients in 2014; the reason that she has allocated a mere €78,157.00 for training interventions in 2015; if she accepts that this massive cut will have an extremely negative impact on the service which supported 4,500 clients in 2014; if she will rectify the situation by restoring funding to an adequate level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11133/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There is no change in the total amount of funding that is available to the Local Employment Service (LES) network for 2015.

Until 31^stDecember 2014, all LESs had access to two funds which enabled them to financially assist clients with the cost of certain training and other supports. The Technical Support Grant Fund (TSG) provided for specified training and education supports and the Mediator Fund offered small grants to assist with the removal of barriers to employment.

In order to rationalise the grant process the Department decided that from the 1^stJanuary 2015, all LES would have access to a single fund (a new Mediator Fund), and that the level of funding allocated across all LES would be equivalent to the total LES expenditure year from both the Mediator and TSG funds for last year.

This new consolidated Mediator Fund has been allocated between LES contractors on the basis of the number of clients with whom they are contracted to engage in 2015 and having regard to their actual expenditure of Mediator funds in 2014.

The Department will monitor the arrangements during the year and will consider revising individual LES allocations within the overall budget limit based on actual expenditure trends and clients served.