asked the Minister for Labour if his attention has been drawn to the fact that FÁS in some parts of the country have been advertising jobs in Great Britain; if it is appropriate that public moneys allocated by his Department to FÁS should be used for such purposes; if he approves of this practice by FÁS; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - FÁS Advertising.
13.
Freedom of movement to take up employment is one of the fundamental principles of the European Community. The principles are contained in Articles 48 to 51 of the EC Treaty. The procedures to implement the principles are contained in Regulation 1612/68 which prohibits any form of discrimination in the treatment of nationals, including employers, of other member states.
FÁS are, therefore, obliged to treat vacancies notified by non-Irish employers and from the employment services of other member states in the same way as they treat vacancies arising in Ireland.
As part of their pre-departure advisory services for prospective emigrants, FÁS provides information on working conditions and employment opportunities in other member states. Most of the information is generated through SEDOC, the EC information exchange mechanism on job vacancies and job-seekers in the Community. An important part of the information and advice service which FÁS provide to intending emigrants is concerned with dissuading from seeking employment abroad those for whom it would pose particular risks; e.g. the young, the unqualified and the unskilled.
The organisation and delivery of job vacancy information is a day-to-day matter for FÁS.
I am shocked at the implications of the Minister's reply. Is the Minister saying that FÁS, funded by the taxpayers to retrain people in Ireland, are correct in advertising jobs abroad, in circularising employment exchanges and individuals about jobs abroad, particularly in London or New York? Is that part of their function? Is the Minister saying that jobs available in EC countries must be advertised in employment exchanges? Will the Minister outline the role of FÁS in regard to this?
Under Regulation 1612/68 of the European Community freedom of movement constitutes a fundamental right of workers and their families. Under article 2 of the regulation any national of a member state, and any employer assuming an activity in the territory of a member state, may exchange applications for and offers of employment without any discrimination resulting therefrom. According to article 3 of the same regulation provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action or administrative practices of a member state shall not apply where they limit applications for and offers of employment. Section 4 (1) of the Act establishing FÁS, states: "whenever so requested by them to facilitate and assist persons, in whatever manner An Foras considers necessary or desirable, in obtaining employment in a state that is a member of the European Communities". That, in simple English, means that FÁS must give information. They do not use the SEDOC system to anything like its full potential. Many young people are demanding that under that law opportunities or positions that come through that system should be made known to them.
In some cases vacancies in member states are being advertised in FÁS offices. It is not something that is overly encouraged but there is a vociferous group who believe they should be advertised.
Will the Minister agree that, regrettable though it is, due to the fact that there is high unemployment and high emigration this is an entirely appropriate function for FÁS? Is the Minister aware that the manpower placement services of other Community countries have established offices throughout the Community and that they are finding jobs for their nationals, unlike us? I can understand Deputy Mac Giolla's alarm at hearing we are placing people abroad but in my view it is better that our emigrants should have jobs before they leave rather than departing in the hope of getting a job and, perhaps, ending up sleeping under a bridge.
I should like to make it clear that what FÁS are doing is in compliance with EC law. The extent that they should do it is a matter for debate. They are complying with an obligation imposed on them by the Community. They must comply with our Act to give information if they have it. I must admit that that is not done to the extent that similar agencies in other member states do it. That matter is under consideration by FÁS. They have an obligation to ensure that they step up their activities but I must point out that they have done a lot of work since autumn 1987. They have concentrated on advising those who are not suited, those who have not planned such action, are too young or who do not have skills.
I had intended putting a question to the Minister but it has been answered by him in response to another Member.
Do I take it that there is no legislation governing the amount of money that FÁS can spend in this area? It seems to me that we are going back to the time of the First World War when a general or some other high ranking officer, indicated to those who looked at the poster that "your country needs you". Are we recruiting for agencies abroad?
It is important to point out to the House that young people are stressing that we must comply with EC law in regard to this. They say that Ireland voted on two occasions to stay in the EC and that they have a right to know of vacancies in other Community countries. Like other Members, I have heard young people say that the SEDOC system should be freely available here. I must admit that if the SEDOC system was fully operational the number of jobs in Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain advertised here would be greater. The FÁS offices would be full of notices about jobs abroad. We will have to look at this.
The Minister has been looking at this for too long. He is not doing enough. The Greeks are getting all the jobs in Germany at a time when we have thousands unemployed here.
They are not.
What about the Turks? They got quite a number of jobs.
Our young people must be prepared for emigration before we can start putting up advertisements in the FÁS offices. There would be a big outcry in the House if we tried that now.
I am amazed at the way the debate has developed. Are we getting worried that the Greeks may take the jobs in Kilburn from the Irish?
Would the Deputy prefer to see them sleep under bridges and without jobs?
We would prefer if they could sleep at home.
Is this Workers' Party policy?
I can understand the need to advertise jobs here and the obligation on FÁS offices to display material that is sent to them. I should like to ask the Minister if FÁS, for example, should spend taxpayers' money sending out notices about a bar job in London in a pub owned by a Donegal man. Should FÁS spend taxpayers' money sending notices of that position to individuals in the country and to dole offices? Are FÁS obliged to spend taxpayers' money retraining people at home for jobs abroad? I am not raising a question about access to information but how our money is spent.
I have dwelt too long on this question and I must pass on.
The policy of FÁS relates to the access to information. If there are examples of FÁS sending out circulars about jobs elsewhere I would like to see them.
The jobs in London would be long gone by the time notice of them is circulated by FÁS.
Is it their policy to spend our money sending out circulars about jobs abroad?
That is not their policy but they must put the information on display.
They should have offices and hostels throughout Europe.