The best days of FÁS are now well behind it

THE viability, reputation and stature of our national training and education enterprise is sailing like the Titanic towards the iceberg and there are no life jackets on board.

Despite recurring and widespread allegations of systemic malpractice and accounting failures at FÁS, the trade union SIPTU announces glibly that the “problems” there can be overcome – a perspective not apparently echoed by the employers’ body, IBEC.

Is this a case of mutual recognition by birds of a feather or does it merely imply that SIPTU has a higher than desirable tolerance of mediocrity and slovenliness and an aversion to change and radical reform?