This marks further reform of education and training The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has signed the Order for the establishment of the new further education and training authority SOLAS. Its commencement brings about the dissolution of FÁS.
The new statutory agency will operate under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. SOLAS, in partnership with the 16 new Education and Training Boards, will be responsible for the integration, co-ordination and funding of the wide range of training and further education programmes around Ireland. One of its first tasks will be to devise a strategy for the development of a unified further education and training sector.
“The establishment of SOLAS marks another major milestone in delivering this Government’s ambitious educational reform programme. SOLAS will be responsible for co-ordinating the effective delivery of further education and training so that we can respond more effectively to the needs of those who require up-skilling and those seeking employment,” Minister Quinn said.
“At such a critical time in the recovery of our economy, it is vital that we have an agency that engenders public confidence and addresses skills gaps in our labour force.”
The Minister of State for Training and Skills, Ciarán Cannon T.D., said: “I look forward to working with the SOLAS board and management and other stakeholders to ensure that the new authority meets the needs of learners and the labour market. SOLAS will play a key role in the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs.”
The board of SOLAS will be chaired by Pat Delaney, the former director of IBEC’s Small Firm’s Association.
The other members are: SOLAS CEO–designate, Paul O’Toole; Bernadette Brady, Director, Aontas: Paul O’Sullivan, DIT: Sean Burke, CEO, Limerick and Clare ETB; Cathriona Hallahan, M.D. Microsoft Ireland; David Barrett, founder of MBCS, an Enterprise Ireland supported export company; Liz Cassidy, MD Irish Time Design, retail design consultants, Galway; Patricia Carey, former President Skerry’s Business College, Cork; Darragh J Loftus, Executive Partner-Manager at VMware, a cloud computing company; Kenneth Whyte, Principal, Presentation Brothers College, Cork; Cecilia Munro, Principal, Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education and William Egenton, Managing Director, Dromone Engineering, Oldcastle, Co Meath.
ENDS
Note for Editors:
An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna (SOLAS) will be a new statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. SOLAS will be responsible for the integration, coordination and funding of further education and training.
Unlike FÁS which will be dissolved as part of this process, SOLAS will not be directly involved in the delivery of training. The FÁS training division will be transferred on a phased basis to the sixteen Education and Training Boards (ETBs) which replaced the former 33 VECs and were established in July. The ETBs will deliver an integrated system of further education and training. This transfer will commence with the movement of seven centres on 1st January 2014.
SOLAS will play a key role in Ireland’s economic recovery through the creation of a world class further education and training sector. The unemployed, particularly the long term jobless, will be the priority group for support. But a revitalised Further Education and Training sector will promote access for all learners who wish to avail of programmes – the unemployed and the employed, school leavers as well as early school leavers, those with disabilities, job changers and those who want to pursue particular interests through part-time learning.
SOLAS will have a strong relationship with the new National Employment and Entitlements Service (Intreo) being developed and rolled out by the Department of Social Protection.
Its first job will be to develop a national five year strategy for further education and training. This will include an extensive consultation process with the main stakeholders including education providers, employers, Government bodies and other persons it considers appropriate.