Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senators for their contributions and look forward to continuing the debate on Committee Stage. I wish to make a number of points on the appointment of the board. On Committee Stage in the other House, I made a commitment that we would take into account nominations from the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, as well as the joint committee, to the board of FÁS. I intend to see that commitment through.

As I said in my interaction with Senator O'Toole, we will place advertisements in the national newspapers on Thursday seeking expressions of interest from people who may wish to join the board of FÁS and who fulfil the criteria. I assure the House that it is not window dressing. We are serious about opening it up as widely as possible. We have already had more than 200 expressions of interest since it was known that a new board would be appointed.

There is a debate to be had on whether one brings in people before they are appointed or whether one questions how they are doing their job after they are appointed. I do not agree with Senator Buttimer on many issues but especially in regard to this idea of people appearing before an American Senate-style committee. It is a part-time job because remuneration would not be enough to make it a full-time job. We are asking people to come forward because they have specific strengths and talents and to put them before an American Senate-style committee would be asking too much. Senator O'Toole spoke about those appointed perhaps meeting the committee. I will reflect on that as well as on his points about the board's sub-committees.

I agree with Senators Carty and Buttimer on the apprentice situation. We face a challenge in that regard. We have done much work with the apprentices. The institutes of technology training programme for redundant appreciates is providing 700 places. When combined with the existing initiative for redundant apprentices, including the ESB programme, approximately 3,800 apprentices are progressing their apprenticeships or are receiving training. We have more to do in that regard.

Senator Burke mentioned the capacity to deliver to those unemployed tradespeople and their capacity to get involved in community activities. I drove around Mayo yesterday on flooded roads. The roads were flooded for the want of few leaves being taken out of gutters and drainage tables being opened. That is an area in which we could use people. I am open to suggestions on activation policies, especially programmes which train people to move into the workplace. I do not want training programmes in FÁS to become permanent as that is not what they are designed for. I ask Senators to come forward with ideas in that regard.

A proper rebranding exercise for an organisation the size of FÁS and everything that would go with it would cost a fortune. It could justifiably be regarded as a waste of money at a time when there are 420,000 people unemployed. Every cent we spend on FÁS should be spent on getting people out of the situation in which they find themselves. I accept damage has been done to the brand but throwing the baby out with the bathwater is too much. At a time when every cent must be examined, rebranding is a luxury too far.

The new director general, Paul O'Toole, has already made strenuous efforts to talk to FÁS staff and clients and to show he is a new kid on the block and that he has a new style of management. That coupled with a new style of board will assist in the rebranding that is necessary.

A number of investigations are ongoing through the Committee of Public Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General. Reports will follow that process. I believe the Committee of Public Accounts will meet on Thursday week at which some issues will be considered. I refer to the point Senator Burke made about courses and the assessment of courses. An assessment is being done on all private trainers and the courses they provide to FÁS and that will be made public in due course.

A number of Senators raised the cost of FÁS management. I would like to give the actual story as opposed to the imagined one. By the end of 2009, management grades in FÁS will have reduced, compared with 2003, by more than 10% and by 20% in the senior management grades. FÁS will look at further reductions in staff in 2010. During the ten-year period referred to in reports this morning, 75% of the increase in management grades occurred owing to a one step increase from a senior staff grade to assistant manager as part of the major restructuring the organisation. FÁS management grades currently make up 12.8% of total staff and the associated costs must be seen in the context of the very wide responsibilities of the organisations.

Again, I thank Senators who spoke for their interest. I assure Senator Burke that I have been to Mayo Abbey at Senator Carty's invitation and it is a superb centre, as are so many FÁS projects. Tonight many community organisations throughout this country will get together to provide services in health and so on and all sorts of commercial ventures on the back of FÁS and FÁS employees. We are putting this board in place for those communities and those workers who have done us proud and that is why I look forward to a robust Committee Stage debate.