Alan Shatter
Ceist:114 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Labour the number of persons currently participating in FAS and CERT programmes who were recruited from the unemployment register and to whom training allowances are payable.
Written Answers. - Employment and Training Schemes.
The total number of persons participating in all FÁS training programmes who were recruited from the unemployment register and in receipt of a training allowance at 31 January 1991 was approximately 4,300. The corresponding figure for CERT was 468.
FÁS and CERT provide a significant amount of training for young people who would not appear on the live register because they would not qualify for unemployment compensation on grounds of age, means or because they were in employment.
A number of places are also taken up by women who are intending to return to work and who may not appear on the live register because of their ineligibility for unemployment compensation.
Alan Shatter
Ceist:115 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Labour the number of persons currently participating in employment schemes and training programmes; and the corresponding numbers on such schemes on 1 January 1991.
The number of persons participating in FÁS employment schemes and training programmes on 1 February 1991 were 15,115 and 14,250 respectively. The corresponding figures for 1 January 1991 are 15,446 and 14,849.
The number of persons participating in CERT training programmes were 3,211 on 1 February 1991 and 2,586 on 1 January 1991.
Eamon Gilmore
Ceist:116 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Labour if he is considering any plans to alter the social employment scheme and particularly to extend the time period for those taken on under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The social employment scheme, which is directed at the long term unemployed, provides participants with work-related opportunities for 52 weeks. Any extension of this period would, in the absence of additional resources, mean that fewer long term unemployed could participate in the scheme.