Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2013
279. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the full extent of the availability of training, re-skilling or up-skilling places likely to be made available through his Department by way of Solas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3120/13]
View answer280. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the full extent of training, re-educational or further educational places likely to be available through the aegis of his Department in the current year; the extent to which this will compare with 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3121/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. The passing of primary legislation is required for the establishment of SOLAS. The Heads of a Bill for the establishment of SOLAS were approved by Government last year. The Bill will, among other things, provide for the establishment of SOLAS, the dissolution of FAS and the transfer of the FÁS training services to the Education and Training Boards that are being established under separate legislation. It is intended to publish the SOLAS Bill this week. The timing for establishment of the new authority is dependent on the enactment and entry into force of this legislation. Following the commencement of the relevant legislation, the transfer of training services to the Education and Training Boards will be phased through 2013 and 2014. In the meantime further education and training provision will be funded and managed through the current structures. In 2012, my Department provided funding for up to 450,000 education and training places across the range of provision in the higher education, further education and training sectors. In 2013, with reduced resources there will be continued targeted investment in over 430,000 high quality part-time and full-time places across the further and higher education and training sectors, all of which are open to unemployed people including young people and the long-term unemployed. This investment includes the provision of the Skillnets Training Networks Programme, which is enterprise-led by nature, where the development of training is led by representatives of industry to ensure that training provision meets the identified needs of the network stakeholders and companies. Also included in this significant investment is the introduction and development of new targeted programmes designed to provide interventions to tackle the skills shortages in particular elements of the economy, e.g. Springboard, Momentum and the ICT skills conversion initiative, which was introduced as part of the ICT Action Plan.
