National Training Fund

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 December 2013

Tuesday, 3 December 2013

Questions (93)

John Lyons

Question:

93. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for utilising the national training fund in view of recent figures illustrating a large surplus in the fund for 2013. [51296/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Over the last number of years annual expenditure from the National Training Fund has exceeded annual income and as a result the surplus has been falling. The accumulated surplus in the fund has been critical in maintaining expenditure levels, particularly in the provision of training for the unemployed, in a period when receipts were falling. It is considered prudent to continue to maintain an adequate surplus in the Fund to meet demand in future years. A high level breakdown of the use of the National Training Fund is included in my Department's estimates. As well as funding mainstream training programmes for jobseekers, the National Training Fund supports the more recently developed targeted programmes such as Springboard, Momentum and ICT Skills Conversion, training for those in employment such as through Skillnets and grants to industry and technical supports and research.