asked the Minister for Labour if moneys from the EEC Social Fund will be availed of for the provision of retraining for redundant car workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Car Workers' Retraining.
23.
Yes. Whilst the European Social Fund does not provide specific assistance for the retraining of redundant car workers, it is a major objective of the fund to assist the retraining of redundant workers generally. Redundant car workers, like other redundant workers, can benefit from such assistance provided that their retraining forms part of a programme which conforms with the provisions of the fund regulations.
In view of the number of redundancies and the scattered locations in which they are occuring, will the Minister consider extending the mobile training service operated by AnCO so that it can move to areas affected by redundancies rather than bringing people to particular centres?
AnCO hope shortly to be in a position to announce new developments in that area.
Could the Minister give the House any idea of how many workers are redundant at any one time?
I have not got that information with me at the moment. I think I provided it last month. I have not got the actual figures with me.
Would it be 500 or 1,000?
I would prefer to stick close to the figure. I think it is less than a month since I gave the actual figure.
What steps do the Minister's Department take in conjunction with the Department of Industry and Commerce when redundancies are announced or threatened to find out the age groups involved and the skills and aptitudes of the people involved?
The Deputy is enlarging this question, which relates to car workers.
This is an important question.
The Chair is not disagreeing with that.
What steps do the Department take?
This is a matter for the National Manpower Service. They are alert in concert with other State agencies in a particular area about to be affected by redundancies. Departmental policy and the policy of the training authority are framed to provide the training needed in a particular area hit by redundancy.
I am sure the Minister will agree that the National Manpower Service are overworked and overloaded and they have difficulties in certain areas.
I agree. I think the Deputy will agree that the National Manpower Service are doing a very essential job. We are aware that they are overworked and we are providing extra staff very shortly.