Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Jun 1998

Vol. 493 No. 3

Written Answers. - FÁS Training Programmes.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

55 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the total number of people who started a FÁS course or apprenticeship in the past five years; the number of people who completed the course or apprenticeship; if she has satisfied herself that all the necessary supports are in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15597/98]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

The figures requested by the Deputy are as set out in the following table. I am broadly satisfied that all the necessary supports are in place. All FÁS courses and schemes are kept under continuous review and evaluation.

Table 1 — Number of people who started and completed a FÁS course other than Apprenticeship, 1993-97

Year	Training schemes, excluding Apprenticeship	Employment Schemes	Total FÁS courses, excluding Apprenticeship
	Started (1)	Throughput (2)	Started	Throughput	Started	Throughput
1993	32,749	25,933	36,432	28,402	69,181	54,335
1994	35,344	28,773	54,520	45,400	89,864	74,173
1995	36,803	31,716	54,897	55,179	91,700	86,895
1996	34,414	27,032	56,754	54,472	91,168	81,504
1997	31,940	27,274	59,535	59,568	91,475	86,842
Total	171,250	140,728	262,138	253,021	433,388	383,749

Notes: (1) The numbers in the "Started" columns include all persons who started a course in the relevant calendar year.

(2) The numbers in the "Throughput" columns include those who completed in a particular year. They do not include people transferring to other courses, "drop-outs" from training, or people who completed training/employment schemes in a particular year but who were not recorded as finishing until the following year.

Table 2 — Numbers of people who started and completed a FÁS Apprenticeship, 1993-97

Year	No. of People who started Apprenticeships (3)	No. of People who completed Apprenticeships
1993	3,064	3,867
1994	2,781	3,866
1995	2,288	3,574
1996	4,276	3,038
1997	5,618	2,493
Totals	18027	16,838

Notes: (3) Refers to apprentices registered with FÁS.