Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The essence of accountability is that lessons are learned when breaches take place or difficulties arise. If people take on board lessons, change can take place. That is precisely what accountability is about. It is obvious that like other agencies, FÁS needs to learn lessons from the controversies that have been brought into the public domain. As I have said, the new head of the agency will ensure that the appropriate standard of public service applies to all its activities, including activities in this area. We can have every confidence in his capacity and willingness to do that.

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