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Further Education and Training Programmes Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2013

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Questions (281)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

281. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects his Department to be in a position to address the question of youth unemployment in the current year having regard to the special emphasis on the subject throughout Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3122/13]

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Written answers

While my Department has no direct role in the creation of jobs, it is providing significant and innovative training opportunities for the unemployed to assist them in returning to work. It should also be noted that the funding for positions throughout the education sector is channelled through the Department's budget. Throughout this year there will be continued investment in over 430,000 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. The provision includes several recently developed and flexible re-skilling opportunities specifically for unemployed people in areas of emerging skills needs under the Springboard and Momentum initiatives. As part of the Government's "Action Plan for Jobs" 2012 initiative, FÁS is administering the Labour Market Education & Training Fund (LMETF), under which €20 million has been committed by the Department of Education & Skills through the National Training Fund. The Labour Market Education and Training Fund was launched as MOMENTUM in December 2012. The introduction of the MOMENTUM programme will have a specific impact on young unemployed people. It is to provide a range of quality, relevant education & training interventions for up to 6,500 individuals who are long-term unemployed. The concept of the fund is that it will be utilised to provide training and education solutions to the needs of both unemployed individuals and employers. Courses under the programme will include a significant work-based element. Training will be provided within the context of four themes. Three of the themes will support occupational clusters where demand and vacancies exist. A fourth theme will focus on the specific needs of people under 25 who are unemployed, assisting them to access and/or return to the Labour Market. This intervention is intended to identify individual needs and target employment, placement or educational progression opportunities specifically for young people in the above category. Furthermore, the creation of a new Irish further education and training authority, SOLAS, will facilitate a coherent integrated strategic national response across the further education and training sectors. The SOLAS mandate will be to ensure the provision of 21st century high-quality further education and training programmes to jobseekers and other learners. These programmes will be integrated, flexible, value-for-money and responsive to the needs of learners and the requirements of a changed and changing economy. The establishment of SOLAS, combined with the establishment of the Education and Training Board structures, will provide a framework for the future management and development of the Further Education and Training sector in Ireland. Furthermore, the increased co-operation between SOLAS and the Department of Social Protection INTREO offices nationwide is a key element of the Governments activation agenda following on from the publication of the Pathways to Work strategy.

Question No. 282 answered with Question No. 151.
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