192 Deputy Beverley Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the private training providers contracted by FÁS to give hairdressing and related training courses in the Mayo, Sligo and Galway areas in the past five years; and the regularity with which the contract for these courses has been put out to tender. [33290/09]

This is a day-to-day matter for FÁS.

In the FÁS North West Region, between 5th December 2005 and 24th July 2009, six Hairdressing Courses were conducted by Contracted Trainers, Muintearas, in Sligo. Thirty-two requests for Tender were issued and seven Tenders were returned. Contracts were awarded to the lowest tender.

In the FÁS West Region, two Hairdressing Courses were organised under Contracted Training — both contracts were awarded to the Connaught College of Hairdressing, Forster Street, Galway and both programmes were run in Galway City. The first contract ran from December 2004 to June 2005. There was only one suitable trainer on the National Register of Trainers and one tender was requested. The second ran from July 2005 to January 2006. Two requests for Tender were issued, as by then the NRT listed two suitable trainers. Two tenders were returned. Contracts were awarded to the lowest tender.

Under the CDP Programme (STB), one programme was tendered in late 2006 to commence in 2007. It was awarded to the Connaught College of Hairdressing. Four requests for tender were issued, as by then the NRT listed four suitable trainers. Two tenders were returned. Contracts were awarded to the lowest tender.