asked the Minister for Labour the action, if any, that he has taken to promote the scheme of exchange of young workers within the EEC.
Written Answers. - EEC Worker's Exchange.
654.
The National Manpower Service of my Department is the designated national authority for overseeing and assisting in the implementation of the Second EEC Programme for the Exchange of Young Workers.
The NMS has sought to foster interest in this programme by publicising information leaflets for young workers and for employers who might be interested in participating. These leaflets are available at all offices of the National Manpower Service. In addition NMS placement staff are available to discuss the details of the programme with interested young people or others.
A number of meetings have been arranged by the NMS with representatives of interested organisations(a) including employer, trade union, professional, youth and other interests as well as with the competent exchange promoting bodies. These meetings have enabled useful discussion and initial consultation with employer organisations to advocate participation by their members in hosting or releasing employees for exchange programmes. Arising out of these meetings CERT recently sent two groups of trainees on successful exchange to Brittany, French.
At the initiative of my Department the EEC Commission in February of this year appointed AnCO as a recognised European body with authority to intitate and implement young worker exchanges. In view of the vocational orientation of the programme and AnCO's close liaison with Irish employers in the manufacturing sector as well as their long experience in working with and for young people, a greater number of young Irish persons can be expected to benefit in future.
(a) CERT, AnCO, National Federation of Youth Clubs, Dublin Youth Services, Macra na Feirme, American Field Services (AFS), National Rehabilitation Board, Federated Union of Employers, Confederation of Irish Industry, ICTU, Irish Nurses Organisation, Bord Iascaigh Mhara.