I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together.
The Work Placement Programme provides up to 9 months work experience to 2,000 unemployed individuals, including graduates. The Programme is open to all sectors of the economy, including the private and public sectors, as well as the community and voluntary sectors. The aim of the Programme is to assist unemployed people, including graduates, to establish or maintain links to the labour market. This should better position unemployed people to avail of new job opportunities when they arise.
In 2009 64 Public Sector bodies applied and were approved for the FÁS Work Placement Scheme in 2009.
In 2009 559 Private Sector employers applied and were approved for the FÁS Work Placement Scheme in 2009. There is a need to encourage more enterprises to participate in the programme and FÁS are continuing to promote the programme with employers' representative bodies such as IBEC and ISME.