Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Mr. Ó Foghlú and Mr. O'Toole and their teams for being here today.

In my questions, I will focus on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, and Deputy Nolan on FÁS. If I can make one comment, I acknowledge what Mr. O'Toole acknowledges in his statement. We have had many a stormy meeting with FÁS at this committee, in my time and previously, but as FÁS is about to be wound down and new structures put in place, it is important to acknowledge the excellent work carried out by the overwhelming majority of Mr. O'Toole's staff throughout the country who I and my colleagues on this committee would deal with on a regular basis in all of our communities. Change in any workplace is difficult but when one looks at the figures that Mr. O'Toole presented, in terms of both the structural change and the vast drop in the number of staff at a time when we are facing an unemployment crisis compared to the large numbers of staff at a time when there was full employment in this country, it is a testament to their dedication. I wish to put that on the record of this committee.

I will direct my questions to Mr. Ó Foghlú on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. We all will be aware of the unemployment crisis that we are going through and clearly we want to see every possible cent of funding tapped and utilised effectively. In looking through the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, no doubt there is good work being done on in the utilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Ireland but there are a number of areas where, as Mr. Ó Foghlú acknowledge, there is room for improvement. He also acknowledged in his opening statement that there are new regulations on the future operation of the fund, and I might get his opinion on that later.

The first point that struck me was what constitutes an intervention as opposed to an effective intervention. I note in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, at 17.27, states:

The Department collates data on the number of occupational guidance interviews provided. However, it does not record the extent to which individuals availed of more than one guidance interview.

If, for example, I was a worker in Waterford Crystal or TalkTalk and I turn up for an initial guidance meeting about my future options, that constitutes an intervention but I may go away and never obtain further educational training, go on another course, re-skill or up-skill. Mr. Ó Foghlú might comment on how the system captures effective interventions as opposed to actual interventions.