Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 3

Written Answers. - FÁS Training Programmes.

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

114 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she will introduce the proposed £25 training bonus for participants in FÁS training schemes as announced before Christmas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9716/99]

John Gormley

Ceist:

136 Mr. Gormley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the £25 training bonus announced before Christmas 1998 will be paid out to those who took up the offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9908/99]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 136 together.

Provision was made in my Department's 1999 Estimate for a training bonus of £25 per week to be paid to long-term unemployed people on FÁS training courses. The bonus will be paid with effect from 19 April 1999 to qualifying participants who are on, or commence, a FÁS training course on or after that date. Trainees who were on the live register for 12 months or more before commencing training with FÁS will qualify for the payment. The bonus, which is being introduced on a pilot basis for 12 months, will be payable in addition to the trainees normal training allowance. As FÁS trainees are paid one week in arrears, qualifying trainees will receive first payment of the bonus in week commencing 26 April 1999.

The training bonus is part of an integrated package of measures which I have introduced this year to improve opportunities for long-term unemployed people to progress to employment.