Foras Áiseanna Saothair

FÁS, formally An Foras Áiseanna Saothair, was an Irish state agency established in January 1988 under the Labour Services Act 1987. Its name is commonly translated as the Training and Employment Authority, while the acronym also corresponds to the Irish word for growth. The agency was created during a period of severe economic difficulty in Ireland and brought together functions previously associated with An Chomhairle Oiliúna, the National Manpower Service and the Youth Employment Agency. FÁS operated as a national employment and training authority. It assisted people seeking work through a network of JobCentres and delivered vocational courses through regional training centres. Its remit included labour-market support, employment schemes, occupational training and the regulation and administration of apprenticeships in a range of trades. The agency also participated in programmes intended to improve employability and connect jobseekers with employers. Some training activity was subsequently transferred to institutes of technology and, later, to the restructured further-education system. Governance was provided by a board that included employer and trade-union representatives. The board was appointed by the relevant minister, initially the Minister for Labour and later the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. FÁS was also connected to Ireland's wider enterprise and skills policy system, including Forfás. Its public role was significant during periods of high unemployment, but its methods and expenditure attracted recurring criticism. Critics argued that some schemes could remove participants from the live unemployment register without leading to ordinary employment, while employer representatives questioned the value of certain courses. The agency's operating cost, reported in contemporary discussion as approaching €1 billion annually, also became a focus of public scrutiny; this figure is included here as historical context rather than as a current financial measure. FÁS faced a major governance and expenses controversy in 2008. Information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and published by Senator and journalist Shane Ross described approximately €643,000 in transatlantic expenditure over four years connected with the agency's Science Challenge Programme. Reported items included premium travel, payments relating to spouses, golf and personal treatments. The disclosures prompted an investigation by the Comptroller and Auditor General, scrutiny by the Dáil Public Accounts Committee and demands for senior accountability. Director General Roddy Molloy resigned on 25 November 2008. The board later announced that it would resign, and a 2010 Comptroller and Auditor General report examined weaknesses in FÁS's internal controls. The agency was ultimately dismantled as part of a reform of Ireland's further-education and training institutions. Under the Further Education and Training Act 2013, its national training and coordination functions were transferred to SOLAS. Local training responsibilities were absorbed into the restructured Vocational Education Committees, which became Education and Training Boards under the Education and Training Boards Act 2013. FÁS was dissolved in 2013 and no longer operates as an independent organisation.

FÁS emerged from the consolidation of Ireland's employment and training institutions during the economic downturn of the 1980s. Before its creation, separate bodies handled training, manpower services and youth employment. The Labour Services Act 1987 provided the legal basis for combining these responsibilities, and An Foras Áiseanna Saothair began operating in January 1988. The acronym FÁS was used as the organisation's public identity and also evoked the Irish word meaning growth. The authority was designed as a national labour-market institution rather than a conventional commercial enterprise. It maintained JobCentres to support people seeking employment and operated regional training centres offering courses in practical, technical and occupational subjects. FÁS also regulated or administered apprenticeships in several trades. Its activities formed part of Ireland's broader system for managing unemployment, improving workforce skills and helping employers find suitably trained staff. Some parts of its training portfolio were later moved toward institutes of technology and other education providers. FÁS was governed by a board containing representatives of employers and trade unions. The minister responsible for labour and employment policy appointed the board. The agency was expected to respond to changing labour-market needs, but it became controversial over the effectiveness and cost of certain schemes. Critics alleged that some programmes appeared to reduce the official unemployment count by placing people in training or employment schemes without ensuring progression into regular jobs. Employer organisations also argued at various times that particular courses were poor value or failed to meet mainstream labour-market demand. Governance questions intensified around Brian Geoghegan, who served as chairman until the end of 2005. His membership of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation board attracted criticism because IBEC had itself criticised some FÁS programmes. His marriage to Mary Harney, who had held senior ministerial responsibility in enterprise and employment-related areas, also led to claims of a possible conflict of interest. Peter McLoone succeeded him as chairman. The most serious institutional crisis occurred in 2008. Minister Mary Coughlan called for a Comptroller and Auditor General investigation after public concern about FÁS spending. The Dáil Public Accounts Committee also examined the organisation. The controversy became especially acute after Shane Ross obtained documents under the Freedom of Information Act and published details of roughly €643,000 spent over four years on transatlantic travel associated with the Science Challenge Programme. The reported expenditure included first- and business-class travel, costs involving spouses, golf and personal treatments. Several government ministers had also attended related trips, increasing political sensitivity. Director General Roddy Molloy initially defended the spending, including in a radio interview, and Taoiseach Brian Cowen publicly supported him. Continued pressure nevertheless led Molloy to resign on 25 November 2008. In 2009 the board announced its own resignation, while the government prepared legislation to restructure the agency. The Comptroller and Auditor General's 2010 report documented failures in internal controls, making the controversy a lasting example of governance problems in a publicly funded Irish agency. The final restructuring was enacted through the Further Education and Training Act 2013. FÁS was dissolved, its national further-education and training functions moving to SOLAS. Local training operations were incorporated into the reformed vocational-education structure, whose committees were renamed Education and Training Boards under separate 2013 legislation. The transition ended FÁS as an organisation but preserved elements of its employment-support, apprenticeship and vocational-training work within Ireland's new education and training system.

• 2013

  FÁS dissolved

  [1]FÁSen.wikipedia.org

  The Further Education and Training Act transferred national functions to SOLAS and local training responsibilities to the restructured Education and Training Boards.

• 2010

  Internal-controls report published

  [1]FÁSen.wikipedia.org

  The Comptroller and Auditor General published a report addressing weaknesses in FÁS's internal controls.

• 2008

  Expenses controversy and director-general resignation

  [1]FÁSen.wikipedia.org

  Disclosures about Science Challenge Programme travel and related expenses prompted investigations and led Director General Roddy Molloy to resign in November.

• 2005

  Chairmanship passes from Brian Geoghegan to Peter McLoone

  [1]FÁSen.wikipedia.org

  Brian Geoghegan retired as chairman at the end of 2005 and Peter McLoone replaced him.

• 1988

  FÁS begins operations

  [1]FÁSen.wikipedia.org

  An Foras Áiseanna Saothair was established in January as Ireland's national authority for employment assistance and vocational training.

• 1987

  Labour Services Act establishes legal basis

  [1]FÁSen.wikipedia.org

  The Labour Services Act 1987 provided the statutory basis for creating a unified Irish employment and training authority.

A nationwide Irish public employment and vocational-training authority intended to support jobseekers, apprentices, employers and the wider labour market.

• Employment services

  JobCentres

  A network of employment-service locations intended to help people seeking work. JobCentres provided a public-facing channel for employment information, job-search assistance and access to FÁS programmes.

• Vocational education and training

  Regional training centres

  Regional facilities delivered practical and vocational courses across a range of occupational fields. They formed one of the main operational components of FÁS's skills and employability mission, with parts of the network later absorbed into Ireland's restructured further-education system.

• Apprenticeship and trade training

  Apprenticeship programmes

  FÁS regulated or administered apprenticeships in a number of trades, combining workplace learning with formal technical instruction. Responsibility for these activities was subsequently redistributed through the SOLAS and Education and Training Board framework.

• Skills and education programme

  Science Challenge Programme

  A FÁS-linked programme associated with international travel and promotional activity. It became particularly prominent in 2008 because spending connected with the programme was central to the agency's expenses controversy.

• 2008

  FÁS expenses controversy

  Freedom-of-information documents published by Shane Ross described approximately €643,000 in four years of transatlantic expenditure connected with the Science Challenge Programme. Reported spending included premium air travel, costs involving spouses, golf and personal treatments. The disclosures triggered ministerial, parliamentary and audit scrutiny and contributed to the resignation of Director General Roddy Molloy.

  Source

• 2008

  Governance and conflict-of-interest criticism

  Brian Geoghegan's roles as FÁS chairman and an IBEC board member drew criticism because employer representatives had criticised some FÁS schemes. His marriage to Mary Harney also led to public claims concerning a possible conflict of interest, although the available reference does not establish a formal finding of wrongdoing.

  Source

Read more

• 2013

  Replacement by SOLAS and Education and Training BoardsStrategy

  Background

  The Irish government pursued structural reform of further education and training after criticism of FÁS governance, spending and programme effectiveness.

  Action taken

  Under the Further Education and Training Act 2013, FÁS was dissolved. National functions moved to SOLAS, while local training work was transferred into the restructured Education and Training Board system.

  Aftermath

  FÁS ceased to exist as an independent agency, although employment-support, apprenticeship and vocational-training functions continued under successor institutions.

  Source

• 1988

  Consolidation of employment and training functionsStrategy

  Background

  Ireland sought a more unified response to unemployment, workforce training and youth employment during a prolonged economic downturn.

  Action taken

  The state established FÁS by bringing together functions associated with AnCO, the National Manpower Service and the Youth Employment Agency.

  Aftermath

  FÁS became the national public authority for employment assistance, vocational training and apprenticeship-related activity.

  Source

1. 1FÁSen.wikipedia.org