Sir, - Recent reports of the possible break up of FAS are a dangerous and worrying development for those of us involved in community employment. In your recent (March 6th) report, you state that the "the business lobby has long been anxious to reform the training system and to give employers more say - and control - over the State's £460 million a year training budget". Well, to paraphrase a young lady at a famous court case in England many years ago: "They would, wouldn't they".
However, to a great extent the employers are missing the point. Of course FAS is concerned with training people and preparing them for employment, but to assume that that is the sole purpose of community employment schemes is to demonstrate ignorance of the situation.
As general manager of two inner city community employment schemes and one of the full time job initiative schemes, I can testify to the immense amount of useful, constructive and socially responsible achievements by these schemes. Energy Action has provided an insulation service to almost 10,000 homes of elderly and disadvantaged people since its inception.
As a charity, we are dependant on funding from various sponsors and benefactors, but without FAS we would be totally unable to continue our social work. In addition, by training our personnel to City and Guilds, and NVQ standards; we are giving them a confidence in themselves which extends beyond the barriers of mere training for work.
FAS has been most supportive of our work. Its personnel have been immensely understanding and helpful. FAS, and the people with whom we liaise in FAS, have an immense knowledge, understanding and empathy with the people to whom they provides service, and I would strenuously suggest that, if changes are needed (which I don't deny), those changes should take place within the organisation. It would be a seriously retrograde step to brea FAS up and "reinvent the wheel". - Yours, etc.,
General manager,
Energy Action Ltd.
IDA Unit 14,
Newmarket, Dublin 8.