Dick Spring
Question:155 Mr. Spring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received a request from persons (details supplied) for the provision of a FÁS scheme. [28536/01]
Written Answers. - FÁS Training Programmes.
Right of Place is a support group for people who have suffered as a result of being residents of industrial schools. FÁS has informed me that the group currently has a FÁS community employment project with six participants and a further three participants on the job initiative scheme. This project, which started in 1999, is under the sponsorship of Cork City Vocational Education Committee. The original agreement was for three participants.
I understand that facilities exist to expand the current numbers to address the additional workload as required. Arrangements are being made at FÁS regional management level to meet with the group to discuss its proposal and to review the implementation of the project to date.
I also understand that Right of Place hopes to independently sponsor and manage its own project. At present FÁS considers it appropriate that the management of the project should continue under the auspices of the Cork City Vocational Education Committee in view of the positive experience with that arrangement to date.
FÁS also points out that the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children have provided support for different aspects of the services provided by Right of Place. Under agreed arrangements, services which had been provided through FÁS schemes but which are more properly the responsibility of other Departments, for example, classroom assistants and school caretakers, are being mainstreamed, that is, responsibility and funding is being transferred to the Department primarily responsible.