Vol. 518 No. 2
30 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the evaluation carried out on the work-training service; the total cost of this service in 1999; the likely cost in 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11129/00]
The European Social Fund evaluation unit carried out an evaluation of the work and training service and published its report in July 1998. This was a helpful and timely report.
Work and training for prisoners had received EU funding since 1982. At the mid-term review of the 1994-1999 round of Structural Funding, my Department sought additional money to enable work and training to be developed to establish effective pathways which people in custody could follow to obtain employment after their release from prison. The evaluation was conducted in this context.
The evaluation was comprehensive. It identified strong and weak points in relation to work and training provision and it made specific recommendations. My Department has accepted these recommendations in general and is proceeding to develop work and training in the prisons accordingly.
The CONNECT project in the prisons is an important part of this development. CONNECT was introduced in 1998 as a collaboration between my Department and the National Training and Development Institute of the REHAB group. It was funded by the EU INTEGRA programme within the remit of enhancing the employability of people at a disadvantage with respect to labour market participation. The results of the CONNECT project have been most encouraging and have led me to believe that the goals of the project can be achieved and, in conjunction with this, that the recommendations of the EU evaluation unit report will be implemented.
