Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Minster of State's reply indicates that nobody will take responsibility for what occurred in FÁS, namely, a clear breach of the regulations leading to the delisting of trainers. It is criminally negligent that workers in the construction trade were employed on sites without proper training. FÁS is the agency delegated under the Health and Safety Acts with carrying out training and assessment, which FETAC is authorised to certify. As the delegating agency of the State, FÁS has not covered itself in glory.

Hundreds of building site workers are being retrained using a voucher system and trainers have received thousands of euro for work they did not do. Despite this, the State does not appear to regard recouping this money — up to €100,000 — as a matter of urgency. Through no fault of their own, unfortunate employees paid an average of €450 for training which amounted to no more than filling in forms. No training was provided and the State sees nothing wrong with trainees being placed on sites to carry out certain duties under the building regulations. It is criminally negligent for the State to have allowed this to happen. In addition, the Government is not prepared to close a loophole to ensure it does not recur.

In view of recent events and the fact that the Minister of State was let down by a delegated agency under the Health and Safety Acts, the House should take steps to ensure such events are not repeated in the future. Having examined the loophole, strong regulations and guidelines must be enshrined in the Bill to ensure trainers are accredited and we can stand over them in law if an investigation arises in the future. FÁS, the Health and Safety Authority and others should not kick the issue into touch.

Recent events call into question the certificates issued by FETAC. As the Minister of State is aware, an investigation is under way to determine how this could have happened. We should take cognisance of the recruitment of Mr. Cromien, former Secretary General of the Department of Finance, by FETAC for the purposes of investigating and producing a report on this serious problem and loophole in the process for accrediting trainers. I am anxious that this issue be covered in the legislation because we do not get many chances to tidy up this serious problem of a criminal nature whereby the safety of employees and the general public has clearly been put at risk in the recent past. That recent experience should be treated seriously.

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