Vol. 476 No. 1
23 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will make special provisions to allow women who work full-time in the home and who wish to re-enter the workforce the opportunity to participate in State training programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5722/97]
Many of the programmes run by FÁS are intended for particular unemployed target groups. For example, both community employment and the pilot jobs initiative are targeted at those registered as long-term unemployed whose main or only source of income is a social welfare payment. However, the fact that resources are limited means that it is not possible to make places on the programmes available to all those unemployed.
While FÁS training programmes are, in principle, open to all persons who are unemployed and seeking work, priority of access is given to persons on the live register, regardless of gender. I am satisfied that the eligibility criteria for participation in these programmes, and the kind of prioritisation they represent, are fair, objective and cost effective.
Since 1990, FÁS has operated an action programme for women to maximise the participation of women in all its programmes.
FÁS has also been providing courses such as return to work and enterprise training, which have a high proportion of female participation, particularly among home-makers.
In 1995, 14,228 women participated in FÁS training programmes, 42.2 per cent of total participants. This was an increase of 10.5 per cent on the 1994 figure of 12,867. In recent years, FÁS has tried to promote and improve flexibility in an effort to maximise the various provisions for training for women. In a recent example of the initiatives being taken, FÁS has advised me that it is undertaking a pilot programme aimed at developing and testing new ways of delivering training for women. This particular initiative, which is being piloted under the NOW, New Opportunities for Women, programme, aims to provide locally-based training in partnership with community groups. This training is delivered in a flexible manner to suit the varied needs and circumstances of participants. The project is currently operating in Clonmel, Tipperary and Athlone. If successful, FÁS proposes to introduce this approach on a national basis and, by so doing, will allow a large number of women to avail of training in a cost effective manner.
FÁS is also very conscious of the need for child-care facilities for women returning to work, and contributes over £5 million per annum to community-based child-care provision by way of support for CE projects. Over 130 CE projects have such a child-care dimension. Many of these facilities provide community-based child-care for women undertaking training or education.
Finally, through its action programme, FÁS has continually sought more and better ways of meeting women's training and employment needs, and I am satisfied that the increase in the numbers of women availing of FÁS services provides ample evidence to suggest that its efforts in this regard are bearing fruit.
