Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If there are existing guidelines, it would be an easy task to include within them clarification about the entitlement to a hard copy and the fact that external advice could be sought. That would go a long way. The Minister has outlined a sample set of inclusions but I do not see anything to contradict the suggestions I have made. The suggestions I have made could naturally be incorporated into the existing guidelines on ensuring that we specify that entitlement to a hard copy and the seeking of external advice if it is wished for. I have seen personal progression plans that state that a person will inform the service of changes in the employment status of those he or she shares a house with, and he or she has signed and agreed to that. We have seen texts that state a person will give the contact details of a new employer. This text is in the documents.

In a wide, sweeping sense, there is nothing to disagree with about development goals and employment goals in any of those elements and I am not asking the Minister to take any of those elements out of the personal progression plans. It relates to the manner of execution and making it clear. When we say it is a benign administrative document, many persons take any contract that they sign very seriously. Whatever that personal progression plan might be if it is not a contract, the Minister's legislation is still based on that plan prescribing particular courses of action for an individual. People are concerned and feel that they have to sign a plan. I am not saying personal progression plans should be abolished. I acknowledge that there may be guidelines. I am trying to identify gaps in the guidelines that would strengthen them. I identified a number two years ago. I am not confident that they have been fully addressed. It would have been useful if we could have more detailed guidelines that do not simply say what goes into a personal progression plan but give guidelines about what good practice is when a plan is agreed. It relates to improving what is there.