Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2010
6 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an outline of each service provided by FÁS which falls within the remit of his Department; the projected expenditure of FÁS in the current year for each area; the number of persons employed by FÁS in the delivery of these services; the number of persons assisted under each area in 2009 and to date in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46176/10]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the answer I gave to question number 98 of 30 November 2010. As the National Employment and Training authority, the services provided by FÁS can be outlined as follows:
Training services including the delivery of courses tailored to the needs of jobseeker's looking for employment and for those who are in employment including specially designed training interventions to allow Apprentices to qualify as craftspeople.
Employment services including the delivery of Community-based employment and training programmes to allow for accessible learning in local areas, as well as jobsearch facilities including guidance and resources for jobseekers with access to job vacancies, online CV profiling for employers and effective CV-to-job matching.
The FÁS 2010 budget for direct service delivery in each of these areas is set out in table 1. Table 2 sets out the number of beneficiaries of FÁS training and employment programmes in 2009 and in 2010 as at the end of September. Table 3 sets out the number of persons interviewed by the National Employment Service (NES) in 2009 and 2010 as at the end of October 2010. Finally, table 4 sets out the number of persons employed by FÁS in the delivery of training, employment and community services as well as providing a total complement of the Agency including all support services.
|
€ million |
|
|
Training Services |
381.4 |
|
Employment Services |
54.2 |
|
Community Services |
421.9 |
|
Integration support services funded by FÁS for the delivery of training and employment initiatives |
14.0 |
|
Total |
871.5 |
|
Year |
Training Programmes |
Employment Programmes |
|
2009 |
129,988** |
49,012 |
|
2010 (end of September) |
115,915*** |
45,118 |
*The figures indicated in table 2 include persons currently in training or employment programmes, those who have completed their programmes and those who dropped out.
**Includes 14,944 persons who completed phase 2, 4 or 6 of off-the-job apprenticeship training.
***Includes 8,390 persons who completed phase 2, 4 or 6 of off-the-job apprenticeship training.
|
Year |
Number |
|
2009 |
205,835 |
|
2010 (end of October) |
208,017 |
*The National Employment Service (NES) comprises FÁS and the Local Employment Service (LES) in the provision of services to jobseekers.
|
FÁS Staffing |
Number of persons employed |
|
Overall (including support services) |
1,985.84 |
|
Training Services |
898.98 |
|
Employment Services |
478.12 |
|
Community Services |
224.18 |
|
Policy Support Unit for Employment and Community Services |
70.82 |
7 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details on FÁS policy regarding client interviews and consultations including the number of interviews or consultations a jobseeker must attend; if attendance to interviews are mandatory; the frequency of interviews; the purpose and outcome of the interview; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46177/10]
View answerFÁS Employment Services, under the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) preventative strategy, systematically engages with unemployed persons on reaching three months unemployment. As part of this process, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) refers persons in receipt of unemployment payments to FÁS for assistance. NEAP clients are accorded priority in accessing training provided by FÁS Training Services.
If a jobseeker is referred to FÁS under the NEAP they must attend the first initial guidance interview. Depending on their individual needs they may attend for further guidance interviews on a voluntary basis. EAP clients who do not attend their initial guidance interview are notified to DSP. For other (non-EAP) jobseekers there is no mandatory requirement to attend interviews.
The frequency of interviews depends entirely on the needs of the client. Some clients may engage with the service only once or twice, while others may attend for interview many times during the course of their progression to employment through numerous interventions.
Following interview, clients may be referred to a range of training or employment programmes including Community Employment (CE) and the Work Placement Programme (WPP) or to access job search facilities including Jobs Clubs and self-service facilities. They may also avail of the Technical Employment Support Grant.
8 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the total number of clients who were interviewed by FAS during 2007; 2008; 2009 and to date in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46178/10]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is being researched. I will respond to him substantively as soon as possible.
9 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills to provide in tabular form the total number of jobseekers interviewed once by FÁS during 2009 and to date in 2010; the total number of jobseekers interviewed twice by FÁS during 2009 and to date in 2010; the total number of jobseekers interviewed three times by FÁS during 2009 and 2010; the total number of jobseekers interviewed more than three times during 2009 and to date in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46179/10]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is being researched. I will respond to him substantively as soon as possible.
10 Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the action he is taking to increase the number of FÁS interviews for jobseeker’s during unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46180/10]
View answerThrough a redeployment of staff, and through working with the Local Employment Services (LES), the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) interview capacity has increased from just over 86,000 in 2008 to 154,000 in 2010. The Government is looking at ways to further increase this capacity.
