Shane Ross and Fás

FlutterinBantam

Anyone read the article by Shane Ross on Fás on the back page of the Sunday Indo.

I thought it was classic.We really need to wake up out here you know.

flogen

what was it about? Any chance of a link?

Dundalk Daily

Yes I missed that one too.

mike65

Having heard the Senator on Newstalk (I think) its proberly about why the hell FAS still exists.

Mike.

Mad Finn

To provide the specific vocational training courses that we will need in the future as employment patterns change.

All this nonsense about 'moving up the value chain' means that the sort of jobs people were doing in factories and call centres here will soon be done somewhere else much cheaper.

People will continually need to be retrained and re-equipped with skills needed to survive in a high cost economy. That's Fas job and it is by its nature a long-term one. We can argue reasonably about how well they do it but let's not deny them a plausible reason for existence. Unless of course you're a rabid right winger like Ross who presumably reckons that once your fleecey-factory job goes you should immediately set up a shoe shine stall or walk the streets.

And no, I don't work for Fas nor have I ever done one of their courses, but hey, I'm only young and might need them some day.

windowcleaner

heres the piece...

Sign up to FAS school of waffle

'Hello, is that FAS?" I ask cheerfully.

"No, it's the security officer."

"Could I speak to the Press Office?"

"No, it's after five. They're gone."

"Then, could I speak to anyone at all working in the FAS HQ in Baggot Street?"

"No, the staff finish at five."

"Is the chief executive around?"

"No, give me his name."

I hadn't a clue of his name either.

I reach for the annual report to find the less-than-memorable name of the less-than-memorable director-general.

"Rody Molloy," I volunteertriumphantly.

"Sorry, he isn't in today. You'll have to call tomorrow morning."

"Can I speak to anyone at all working in FAS at 5.25 on a weekday?"

The security officer put down the phone.

I ring back and tell him that I am from the Sunday Independent and warn him clumsily that I may report the dialogue and would like to speak to anyone at all working in the FAS office.

To his credit he doesn't give a fig whether I report on the conversation or who I am and insists that there is no one "high up" in FAS working after five.

What a wonderful example to all those not so "high-up" people whom FAS is supposed to train for hard work in the Celtic Tiger economy. Presumably FAS trains them never to work after five, to hang up the phone and to put manners on smart-aleck journalists.

Our US multinationals must really kill to employ some of their trainees.

That little spat made me wonder what on earth does the State employment authority, FAS, do now that unemployment is pretty well gone?

Poor FAS is lost without unemployment to keep it busy.

So, curious about what a boss of an Employment Authority with no unemployed did for his healthy salary, I turned to Director-General Rody's words in the annual report. I discovered that FAS, the nation's trainer, has developed a new training skill; it is running a globally-rated PhD course in waffle. And Rody has scooped the first doctorate.

"In conclusion," Doctor Rody enthuses with all the magnetism of an anaesthetist "the strategic and business planning processes we have established, coupled with the organisational and management structures and practices, are designed to ensure pro-active and effective services to all our clients."

And then, with even more meaningful passion, "Client feedback remains positive but we are conscious of the need for ongoing improvements in our services as demands and priorities change . . . For this progress I would like to thank the efforts of all our staff during 2005."

That's all the staff who jump ship at five on the dot.

On Wednesday I made sure to ring in the morning. This time I raised a Press Officer.

"Do you really shut up shop at five every day?" I asked.

"Except Friday, when we close at 4.45" replied the proud pressofficer.

As it happened I spent Tuesday night on the FAS website. I was searching for signs it was not a public sector corpse, but that there was a chink of light left somewhere in the coffin.

And I was in luck: there it was, bold as brass - pages and pages about its dynamic subsidiary, FAS International Consulting (FIC)

Hats off to FAS. The old dinosaur is in the enterprise business. Behold its claims:

FAS International provides consultancy services to government ministries;

FAS International has expert staff providing consultancy in client countries;

FAS International has an established track record of working closely with other parastatal - sic - (does it mean parasytical?) agencies;

FAS International is involved in numerous projects in Central Eastern Europe and Africa;

And finally, it is currently seeking senior professional consultants.

Apply. Join FAS International and see the world. What a vibrant organisation.

Just one little catch.

FAS International closed down three years ago in 2003. Nobody told the website.

The website is riddled with other out-of-date data.

Like its 'Corporate Structure' page which gives up-to-date detail; right up to 2002.

Like the page that tells you the training courses you can book - in 2005.

So I asked the nine-to-fiver in the Press Office about the five-year backlog in some of the State agency's public information.

The nine-to-fiver had taken a PhD at the same FAS school of Waffle as Doctor Rody.

"The website is being revamped as we speak," he pleaded.

"Great", I said. "When will it be up-to-date?"

He assured me that the "revamp" would be completed by the first quarter of 2007.

I gulped. So, faraway March next year is the target.

"Why can all the offending pages not be taken down overnight?" I queried.

And then the gem: "There is a FAS committee sitting on it."

A committee. Every State agency's answer to all problems.

FAS, the Employment Authority, employs over 2000 people.

There is no unemployment in Ireland.

FAS receives over €900m in State support every year.

The average member of staff at FAS reaps a total pay and pensions package of €60,000.

Dr Rody receives €191,000.

FAS chairman, Peter McLoone, who doubles as boss of trade union Impact is paid €24,000 a year for his part-time gig.

The other directors are paid €14,000.

They are drawn from the trades unions and employers' groups plus a few departmental loyalists. The board too is stuffed with the nine-to-five brigade.

I wonder if any of them has ever visited the FAS website in the last five years.

If not, why not? Or, if they have, why has the mass of out-of-date data been allowed to fester there?

If they do not visit the website it is probably too much to expect them to visit the annual report and explain the staggering increase in costs at FAS in recent years. According to the most recent report, programme costs soared by 11 per cent to €916m last year while staff costs rocketed by 5 per cent to €121m.

You could buy out the West Link Toll Bridge for less. You could have bought the Boeings for Aer Lingus. You could build a whole string of children's hospitals.

The superquango has strategies galore. No doubt it spends some of its €900m wisely, although there is little evidence to support its case. The annual FAS fantasy report grandly claims that it will "use appropriate qualitative and quantitative measurement indicators to monitor progress in achieving the objectives of the eight High Priority Goals".

It could start by asking one or two of the overpaid 2,000 to take calls from the public after 5pm.

And it could ask the nine-to-fivers to take a look at the website.

It is more likely to set up acommittee.

flogen

I've been unable to track this article down online; is anyone going to provide a link to it?

RuggieBear

Has anyone actually had a phone call from Senator Ross, when he is "investigating" your company/institution????

He is abrupt, rude and has completely unrealistic expectations about the information he expects of a random person in a particular organisation, on the end of a telephone.

Before he has even introduced himself, he is confrontational and it's no wonder that he gets people treating him with little respect on the phone. All you think is "Who the **** do you think you are, you ignorant bollix...the last thing i'm doing is helping you."

lostexpectation

he has a point with the website I guess but what does he expect after 5 oclock...

windowcleaner

flogen wrote:

I've been unable to track this article down online; is anyone going to provide a link to it?

u obviously didnt look very hard or far - sunday indo businss pages

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=35&si=1718697&issue_id=14855

flogen

windowcleaner wrote:

u obviously didnt look very hard or far - sunday indo businss pages

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=35&si=1718697&issue_id=14855

Considering the fact that it shouldn't be the readers job to verify the original posters references I think I looked hard enough.

windowcleaner

flogen wrote:

Considering the fact that it shouldn't be the readers job to verify the original posters references I think I looked hard enough.

dont be such a moaner. i posted the full article and then came back and posted the URL. what more do u want - shane ross to come around and read it to u?

flogen

windowcleaner wrote:

dont be such a moaner. i posted the full article and then came back and posted the URL. what more do u want - shane ross to come around and read it to u?

If you read the charter I've made it quite clear that posts relating to news articles that don't feature links can and will be locked; I gave the OP plenty of time and have been quite patient IMO given that s/he didn't even explain what the article was about from the start.

Frankly this has nothing to do with you; congratulations on your cut and paste skills, but I wasn't looking for the full article (and again, the charter asks that full articles are not copied and pasted for numerous reasons), I was looking for a link.

I suggest you get back on topic and steer clear of personal abuse; given that you're "new" here, consider this a warning.

BarneyMagee

I have heard before about Shane Ross being difficult on the phone and expecting a lot of information.

As a journalist I am a bit wary of people writing about how they can't get any info. Presumably he rang about another story and wrote this out of frustration.

I think as a news gatherer or reporter you have use all your skills to get the information you need and can't really throw the rattle from the pram when you get nowhere.

That said his piece was funny and did make valid points about their website.

windowcleaner

flogen wrote:

If you read the charter I've made it quite clear that posts relating to news articles that don't feature links can and will be locked; I gave the OP plenty of time and have been quite patient IMO given that s/he didn't even explain what the article was about from the start.

Frankly this has nothing to do with you; congratulations on your cut and paste skills, but I wasn't looking for the full article (and again, the charter asks that full articles are not copied and pasted for numerous reasons), I was looking for a link.

I suggest you get back on topic and steer clear of personal abuse; given that you're "new" here, consider this a warning.

You sound just like shane ross ringing up Fas to me.....

journalists on deadline do tend to be brusque which some people do mistake for rudeness.

i think shane ross is one of the best business reporters in this country because he knows what he is on about. easily one of the few Sunday Indo writers worth reading

RuggieBear

windowcleaner wrote:

journalists on deadline do tend to be brusque which some people do mistake for rudeness.

There is no brusque about it. He is just plain rude.

I know what rude is.:)

r3nu4l

I think the whole piece was rather facetious. So what if the offices close at 5? There are many businesses in Ireland that close at 5 or before that. Why make such a big fuss?

The attitude that we should all work overtime to keep the economy going is rubbish. I do work overtime and some weekends myself but as I'm paid a salary I don't get any extra money for it!! Employers should ensure they have enough staff to do the job required. Instead of requiring two or three people in each team to work late just hire someone else! Of course, that would eat into profit so instead workers are expected to devalue themselves.

There are valid concerns about FÁS and their website and communications structures etc. but this article in no way attempted to cover them seriously and it's obvious that Ross set out with a mocking tone to begin with, thus inducing a good stonewalling.

The whole thing reminds me of exactly why I don't like Independent Newspapers tbh.

parsi

Colleagues of mine have been on the other end of the phone from Mr. Ross and found him to be brusque, opinionated and rude.

I look forward to ringing the Seanad some evening/morning/lunchtime and trying to get through to Mr. Ross who will undoubtedly be on one of themany and varied breaks that Senators have.

It's amazing how someone being close to their "deadline" tries to make life difficult for others. Afterall is it the fault of Fas that Mr. Ross suddenly bestirred himself at 5pm to go do abiteen of work ?

DublinWriter

parsi wrote:

Afterall is it the fault of Fas that Mr. Ross suddenly bestirred himself at 5pm to go do abiteen of work ?

Bestirred is a much under-used verb.

While I agree with Ross' points on FAS, he does come across as being quite the eejit in the first part of the piece. Considering the relaxed and generally laid-back attitude to work the Senead takes, he really should step out of that glass-house before throwing any stones.

Compared with other EU states, Irish politians are the most highly paid, numerous per capita and sit far less frequently than their EU counterparts.

As for ripping off the state, perhaps he should look a little closer to home.