Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I endorse Senator Phelan's remarks on the workforce of FÁS generally. The workers are outstanding, apart from the small minority whose activities have been revealed. Senator Phelan spoke about the quality of the apprenticeship system. That quality extends throughout the organisation. Our decision not to have a worker director on the board is no reflection on that.

The Department has moved away from the model of a worker director over a number of years. We consider FÁS as an agency as opposed to the commercial semi-State companies to which Senator Ryan referred. Our other agencies, such as the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and Shannon Development, do not include worker directors on their boards. The main objective of the Bill, as recognised by both Senators, is to reform and strengthen the board. We are moving completely away from the sectoral basis of appointment, which dictated the formation of the FÁS board until now, towards a board that will be appointed by the Minister and for which the Minister will be answerable to both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Another change is that the director general of FÁS will now be an ex officio member of the board. Therefore, there is a formal link with the staff and with the day-to-day operations of FÁS to the board through the director general of FÁS being at the table. Therefore, we cannot accept the amendments.