I understand that FÁS training courses are open to all unemployed persons regardless of whether they are receiving a social welfare allowance or not. I also understand that if a FÁS training course participant is not entitled to Jobseeker's Benefit/Allowance from the Department of Social Protection at the commencement of the course, then he/she does not receive a FÁS training allowance.
In order to ensure the best use of available resources and in order to minimise the drift into long-term unemployment, my Department requested FÁS to prioritise individuals falling within one of the following four cohorts of the unemployed for its training interventions: the low skilled; those under 35 years of age; those on the Live Register for longer than 1 year and those suffering from structural unemployment in the manufacturing, construction and retail sectors.
In addition, my Department requested that individuals falling within more than one of the above cohorts be given top priority for access to these training interventions, subject to individual progression needs. I understand that experience indicates that most FÁS courses include many participants who fall within one or more of the priority cohorts.
Eligibility for Community Employment Schemes provided by FÁS is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Social Protection.
