asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware of the practice of some firms in letting full-time staff go and replacing them by young people on work experience programmes financed by AnCO; the steps his Department are taking to end this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Work experience programmes, as such, are not undertaken by AnCO. However, in-company training forms part of some of AnCO's training schemes for the unemployed and is designed to complement the learning that takes place when people are in full-time training. The maximum period of such training is at present four weeks. It is AnCO policy not to give an employer a succession of such trainees which would prevent permanent vacancies from being filled. It is also AnCO policy not to place such trainees with employers who let go full-time staff. I endorse this approach and can confirm that a similar guideline is operated by the National Manpower Service of my Department in the operation of their work experience programme.

Will the Minister state if he has any information regarding complaints about abuses of the system to which I referred, namely, letting go full-time staff and replacing them by people on work experience programmes?

I have no specific complaints. However, if the Deputy has any such complaints I should be glad to investigate them. The guidelines have been introduced to prevent any general abuses that might occur.

Will the Minister say when the guidelines were introduced?

I do not have that information but I will get it for the Deputy if he wishes.

Is the Minister satisfied with the operation of this scheme? Is any ongoing monitoring system carried out with regard to young people who are in such employment? Are there any statistics available on this matter?

Some of the subsequent questions here will deal with that.

While the Minister may not have complaints about full-time employees being replaced by trainees, has he complaints of companies or individuals employing people who replace trainees by other trainees, thereby avoiding the possibility of filling permanent vacancies?

I share the concern of the House about the possible abuse by some employers of this scheme in the form of cheap labour and the exploitation of young workers. For that reason the guidelines exist. From the information available to me here I have no specific complaints. It is not AnCO policy to provide a succession of trainees to a company and that would seem to close off the possibility referred to by the Deputy. However, I repeat the offer I made to Deputy De Rossa, namely, if any Deputy has specific complaints I would be more than pleased to act on them.