asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce why a firm (details supplied) in Killarney, County Kerry, is not eligible for a training grant for apprentices for a new extension at their factory.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Apprentices Training Grant.
92.
Under the Industrial Development Act, 1969, the making of training grants for industrial undertakings is a statutory function of the Industrial Development Authority and the decision in any particular case rests with that body. For the information of Deputies I would, however, point out that such training grants are intended to assist the establishment of new projects by providing financial assistance towards the cost of training workers in the new skills involved. They are not intended to apply to the normal training needs of industries developing in their established line of business.
Have the IDA not given training grants for the last two extensions of the factory? Why is there a departure now and is there not a danger that this extension will not go ahead in view of the attitude of the IDA?
As I said in the reply, the position is that training grants are grants intended to assist the establishment of new projects. In the normal course, if an industry is expanding and developing, it is assumed that the existing staff are used, as they are used in all industries. In relation to fresh employees who are being taken in, the expertise of the existing employees is used for training apprentices. This is quite a normal thing.
Is this a new departure by the IDA?
No, the new departure is in the IDA original action in endeavouring to help new industrial development not alone by giving them new industry grants but supplementing these by the offer of training grants.