|
The report highlights the significant increase in support provided by FÁS for employed persons in 2005, following the Government’s decision to allocate a large increase in funding to FÁS for this area. I also note that FÁS made a determined effort to encourage more employers to notify it of vacancies, and this resulted in a significant increase in vacancy notifications during the year. This, in turn, allowed FÁS to inform and refer job-seekers to more vacancies.
During the year, FÁS developed a new Statement of Strategy for 2006 – 2009 and an associated Training Strategy. These are founded on the experience and knowledge of FÁS staff and extensive consultationwith FÁS stakeholders. The Strategy points to the continued development of FÁS programmes and services with a focus on meeting customer needs and excellence of provision. I am pleased to see also the particular emphasis on social inclusion, equality and diversity as key goals of the Strategy. In this regard it is useful to refer to the views of the NESC Strategy: People, Productivity and Purpose published in 2006. The NESC report makes the crucial point that public policy should be careful not to ‘pigeon-hole’ individuals on the basis of simplistic categories. Rather, it is important to provide services directed to meet carefully-examined, individual needs. Of course, special, distinct, programmes are sometimes needed but the general presumption should be towards mainstream provision where possible. This emphasis will be reflected in the FÁS approach to social inclusion and diversity.
The NESC Strategy also states that it would be desirable for the Government to produce a statement on the overall strategy for the Irish vocational training system. The FÁS Strategy similarly outlines the benefits of Ireland having a national human resource and skills development strategy. The development of Ireland’s human resources is a multi-faceted task involving various Government Departments and agencies, the private sector, individuals and other organisations. FÁS believes that there is merit in trying to ensure a greater synergy among the main actors involved. FÁS is not recommending some form of central planning. However, we believe that it would be useful to look forward to the country’s future needs and identify the broad steps required to try to ensure that we have the people and skills that we are likely to need. Such a strategy needs to be driven centrally at a high level that will encompass all relevant Government departments and agencies, including FÁS and the social partners. It needs to help stakeholders to collaborate to achieve shared goals and priorities.
While the core business of FÁS remains unchanged, developments in the mix of programmes and services are on-going. For example, FÁS responded to the large increase in immigration and migrant workers in the economy by making its brochures available in several languages, setting up an interpretation facility linked to its employment services and by providing suitable training courses, including vocational English, in its Training Centres. FÁS will continue to take steps to help migrant workers to access the Irish labour market and acquire the skills and qualifications required.
At the same time FÁS was willing to divest itself of programmes that were more appropriately run by other organisations. Hence, at the end of 2005, the Social Economy programme, that had been established and run by FÁS, was transferred to the Department of Rural, Community and Gaeltacht Affairs. This reflected the programme’s main focus on community development rather than labour market integration.
I was appointed Chairperson of the new FÁS Board in January 2006 and it is appropriate, therefore, that I acknowledge the very positive legacy left by the previous Board. It is clear that the organisation made very considerable progress under the direction of the outgoing Board, which oversaw the development of a new strategic planning process, the introduction of a greater partnership approach within the organisation as well as many new initiatives and developments including those referred to earlier. I know, too, that the work of that Board was very dependent upon successfully maintaining close co-operation with FÁS stakeholders.
Naturally, FÁS also maintained contact with its parent Government Department and I would like to acknowledge the on-going very positive relationship with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Micheál Martin, TD; the Minister for Labour Affairs, Mr Tony Killeen, TD and the officials of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I want to also acknowledge the on-going support of the European Union to the funding of FÁS programmes.
On my own behalf, I look forward with the new Board to continuing to ensure that FÁS successfully contributes to Ireland’s economic and social development.
|
