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The Minister of State for Training and Skills, Ciarán Cannon, T.D., today launched the National Forum on Guidance, in the Department of Education and Skills.

Minister Cannon congratulated all of those involved in the Forum and those involved specifically in today’s event.

The Minister noted the importance of guidance: "In today’s economic climate, at a time of rapid change, guidance is essential to enable all our young people and adults to make informed choices in both their professional and personal lives.

"Good guidance empowers people to make their own decisions".

Since its establishment, the National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE) has supported and developed guidance provision in all educational settings.

There have been guidance services in post- primary schools for many years, and the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI) was established in 2000 to address the specific needs of adult learners returning to second chance education opportunities.

The National Guidance Forum was initially established in 2004 to bring together all the relevant guidance stakeholders and developed a plan for an integrated lifelong guidance service across the country.

The effective linking of all guidance services will be an important part of the work of the new Forum, which will take into account recent developments, such as the establishment of the new national training agency, SOLAS.

Minister Cannon acknowledged the benefits of being part of the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network: "NCGE’s membership of the network provides an opportunity for Ireland to inform developments and to be informed by developments at EU level".

Ciarán Cannon noted the particular value of the new Forum, saying that it "will set a new agenda for sharing practice, promoting quality and enhancing co-ordination" and wished the members every success in their work.