Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

My initial question on the private companies to be taken on to initiate part of this process was in a similar vein, given the fact that staff have been lost and others are joining the Minister's Department from other Departments and will need to be trained. The Pathways to Work initiative is an honest effort to address this issue and we agree with the concept of the one-stop-shop, but the training, placement and correct management of the service will not be ready until later this year, if at all. For example, SOLAS will not be on stream for another year. Has the Minister explored the types of contracts and safeguards that will be developed for private companies or is she depending on prior experience with the companies in question?

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