Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 21 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 1

Written Answers. - National Training Fund.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Ceist:

69 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, in regard to the national training fund, a decision has been made as to the way in which the training schemes will be funded and structured; the benefit which this training fund will provide for large multinational companies which cannot avail of the services of Enterprise Ireland, which is contributing to the fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8333/01]

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

The national training fund will support a range of training schemes aimed at raising the skills for those in employment and providing skills to those who wish to take up employment. Training schemes currently operated by FÁS, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development, IDA Ireland and the enterprise-led body, Skillnets, will be supported. The fund will be resourced through a levy on employers of 0.7% of the reckonable earnings of employees in class A and class H employments. Employers' PRSI contributions for these contribution classes were reduced by 0.7% on the introduction of the levy, to ensure that there would be no extra cost imposed on employers.

Foreign-owned multinational companies fall under the remit of IDA Ireland and can potentially benefit from training grants provided by that agency. In addition, a number of indigenous and foreign-owned multinational companies benefit directly from funding under the Skillnets' training networks programme.

By providing skills for people who wish to enter or re-enter the workforce, the national training fund benefits all companies, large and small, by ensuring that the economy has a trained pool of labour to meet the needs of companies.