FÁS’S CLIENT services commissioner Kevin Kennedy has threatened to resign over a row relating to its handling of complaints made almost four years ago about a computer course.
Mr Kennedy submitted a letter of resignation on July 26th to Patricia Curtin, an assistant director general at Fás, in frustration at the fact that the State training agency had not accepted his recommendation to hold an independent inquiry into the complaints.
The first complaint was made in December 2005 by Michael Martin, a Clare-based former FÁS trainee. At the time, Mr Martin was attending a Fás computer course at its training centre in Limerick. Complaints about the course were also made by other trainees.
The course began in September 2005 and it is understood that no training instructor was available for the first three weeks. One of the complainants who spoke to The Irish Times described the course as “mediocre”.
Mr Kennedy, who acts as an ombudsman for Fás, was asked to investigate. He recommended that an independent investigation of the design, planning and implementation of the computer training course be held.
No investigation has been held to date, in part due to the fact that Fás and the complainants found it difficult to agree on an independent mediator. Fás subsequently offered an apology and compensation. The apology was rejected as the complainants felt it did not go far enough.
According to his letter of July 26th, Mr Kennedy held a meeting on April 15th with Ms Curtin and Michael Bowden of Fás at which he told them he would have to give “serious consideration” to resigning as his recommendation had not been acted upon.
He agreed to “defer any decision” to allow Fás an opportunity to negotiate an “appropriate apology” with the complainants.
In his letter Mr Kennedy stated: “It is clear to me . . . that Fás has not succeeded in persuading the complainants to accept their apology in lieu of an independent investigation. In the circumstances, I feel that I must tender to you my resignation.”
Jim Buggle, director of corporate services at Fás, said Mr Kennedy’s resignation was currently “in abeyance” following talks in recent days. He said Fás had accepted Mr Kennedy’s recommendations and was willing to hold an independent inquiry. Alternatively, Fás would offer an apology and, possibly, compensation. Mr Kennedy could not be contacted for comment.
