Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

——a much more stringent system for evaluating the qualifications of trainers in the first instance and, more importantly, for overseeing the training itself.

However, it must be acknowledged that it was necessary to do so and that Deputy Hogan's pursual of this issue has had an impact on the quality of training that will be provided in the future. There is no doubt there were a number of employees whose training was deficient and for whom alternative training had to be provided. The judgment I am required to make is whether it is the best approach to further develop the system and to operate under the 1999 Act by taking advantage of the considerable expertise of FETAC and HETAC in the training area, which has proven to be successful in the case which I outlined earlier. Building on what has been a negative experience, we have moved to a stage where the quality of training is now monitored far more closely and where the involvement of FETAC and HETAC will ensure that the quality of training in the future is of a much higher standard than heretofore.

It should be noted that the numbers of people presenting for training over the last three years have been considerably in excess of the highest estimates at the time. This has levelled off at this stage. However, this does not in any way serve to justify what happened. As a result of the attention this issue has received, I am confident that, within the parameters of the Bill as set out, it has been dealt with adequately.

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