Written Answers. - Advice to Department.
Edward Nealon
Question:
167
Mr. Nealon
asked the
Minister for Labour
the title and terms of reference of each commission, committee, working group or other similar body set up since 1 January 1986 to advise him on the policy or functions of his Department; the nature of each body, that is, whether it is permanent or ad hoc; when each ad hoc body reported; its recommendations; and the action, if any, which has been taken or is being taken in regard to same.
There have been four Commissions or bodies set up by my Department since 1 January 1986. There are:
The Inter-Departmental Committee on the Problems of Early School-Leavers; The Inter-Departmental Committee on Long-Term Unemployment; The Interim Board for Occupational Safety and Health; The Advisory Committee on Management Training.
Each of these bodies was set up to report on the relevant topic, within a set deadline. The following table sets out the terms of reference, conclusions, recommendations and the principal measures, taken as a consequence of each report.
TABLE
1.Title:
The Inter-Departmental Committee on the Problems of Early School-Leavers.
2.Date Established:
September 1987.
3.Terms of Reference:
In brief, these were to make recommendations to the Ministers for Labour and Education on how the resources of the Education and Manpower network could be directed more efficiently towards those leaving school without formal educational qualifications and whose employment prospects were severely constrained as a result.
4.Principal Recommendations:
—Action in respect of this cohort should be targeted on known blackspots.
—Resources should be redeployed within FÁS to aid this group.
—Second-level schools should be given additional resources to
(i) improve early identification of pupils at risk of early leaving,
(ii) to provide a variety of programme options ranging from alternative programmes in school, out of school programmes and/or improved teaching ratios and small group tuition,
(iii) to provide augmented remedial and guidance
—A foundation programme of two years duration to provide training and linked work experience for people who leave the educational system without formal eduational qualifications. This programme would consist of
—a foundation year of training and experimental learning;
—a progression year for those who fail to find employment at the end of year one which, according to need, will be made up of further specific training work on community projects or subsidised employment in the private sector.
5.Action Taken:
On foot of this report, the following policy measures were implemented:
—the existing six month programme targeted at Early School Leavers was replaced by one of up to two years duration, with the features described above. This programme, which is a joint operation between FÁS and Education, is entitled Youthreach;
—in accordance with the Programme for National Recovery commitment, an additional 600 places, making 1,000 in all, will be provided for early school-leavers without qualifications. This will rise to 2,000 by 1991;
—each trainee will be registered and an appropriate mix of courses identified for him/her;
—foundation programmes were re-designed and extended in an integrated manner;
—relevant programmes were targeted on areas which were identified as having significant problems.
1.Title:
Inter-Departmental Committee on Long-Term Unemployment.
2.Date Established:
May 1988.
3.Principal Terms of Reference:
—to assess the impact of current programmes to help the long-term unemployed;
—to recommend an action plan for the next few years.
4.Principal Findings/Conclusions:
The Committee concluded that the causes of long-term unemployment are closely linked to the factors underlying rising unemployment overall. These are, principally, to do with the stagnation in the economy, and the decline in the level of employment experienced by Ireland during the early 1980's. However, there are specific reasons for the relative growth of long-term joblessness within the unemployment total. These relate to:
(i) major structural shifts in the industrial and occupational pattern of labour demand,
(ii) related upgrading of the level of education and skills required for many individual jobs,
(iii) relative lack of education and training among a significant minority of the workforce, together with an abundant supply of younger more educated workers.
The level of long-term unemployment has stabilised in the recent past. However, it will not decline significantly even if, as seems likely, unemployment falls over the next few years.
As a result of this analysis, it recommended that
—existing labour market training and employment subsidy schemes should be shifted towards the long term unemployed,
—temporary work schemes such as the SES should be expanded and targetted on the older long term unemployed to maintain their links with the labour market.
5.Action Taken
—Participation is being increased on the Social Employment Scheme in 1990.
—The Employment Incentive Scheme has been revamped and redirected,inter alia, towards the long term unemployed.
1.Title:
Interim Board for Occupational Safety and Health.
2.Date Established:
April 1986.
3.Terms of Reference:
To consider and report on
(i) the rationalisation of the existing system of occupational safety and health and the transitional arrangements which may be necessary for change-over to the new system proposed by the Commission;
(ii) appropriate follow-up action on the Commission's recommendations relating to information, education and training on occupational safety and health;
(iii) the establishment of links with organisations concerned with safety at work with a view to developing mechanisms for liaison under the new statutory system proposed by the Commission;
(iv) the transition from the Department of Labour's current safety advisory council to new arrangements under the proposed National Authority.
4.Outcome of Deliberations:
The Interim Board carried out its work through the creation of a number of working groups to examine and report on various aspects of the proposed new occupational safety and health system. The reports of the working groups were presented to the Minister by the Interim Board as they became available for his consideration in the period leading up to and during the passage through the Oireachtas of the Bill on Safety, Health and Welfare at Work. The work of the Interim Board was complete with the passing of the Bill into legislation in April, 1989, and the Interim Board was then disbanded.
1.Title:
The Advisory Committee on Management Training.
2.Date Established:
23 July 1987.
3.Terms of Reference:
In brief, they are as follows:
—to make recommendations to the Minister for Labour on how management training can contribute more effectively to economic development, to examine the effectiveness of management training, the funding of training programmes, and to advise on the longer-term co-ordination and rationalisation of management training.
4.Recommendations:
The main recommendations are as follows:
—the need to increase the level of commitment to management development be adopted as urgent national priority;
—Guidelines for Management Development drawn up by the Committee should be promoted to Irish management as a code of good practice;
—the management and training activities of the IMI and IPA should be integrated;
—providers of business education should offer a broadly common curriculum, a business education module should be included in other educational areas (e.g. science, engineering, etc);
—State funding of management training should be switched from "providers" to "users" and towards activities that will ensure the more effective realisation of national objectives;
—State assistance for management development should be targeted at small businesses; incentives should be provided to implement their programmes.
5.Action Taken:
Since the publication of the Report, there have been detailed consultations with all interested parties about the correct action which the Government should take in light of the Committee's recommendations. I expect to submit proposals to the Government in the very near future.
