asked the Minister for Labour if certification of standards of training achieved can and should be applied to courses run by AnCO.

Certification already applies in the case of long-duration courses which are operated to achieve City and Guilds or other recognised standards. In addition, AnCO will introduce soon a new certificate of competence for all apprenticeship courses. This will be in lieu of the certificate of completion of apprenticeship which apprentices currently receive on completion of the statutory period of training.

There are problems, however, about applying certification to a range of short-term general courses developed by AnCO in response to the urgent needs of recent times. These courses are designed to bring trainees to high levels of knowledge, skill and attitude, in order to achieve specific training objectives. Each training course has its own particular training objective. The courses are designed to suit individuals in all age groups with educational levels varying from no qualifications to third level in a small number of cases.

Training programmes contain a strong element which provides a second chance for people who have been made redundant or who have been unemployed for some time or who have left the educational system and have not succeeded in obtaining jobs. There are no recognised standards which could be used as a basis for certification of these courses. AnCO, however, would respond to developments in certification in the field of adult education which has been under consideration by the NCEA and education authorities for some time.

I might add that the question of certification of standards of training has been a European Community concern for some time, and the Council Resolution of 11 July 1983 concerning vocational training policies in the 1980s calls on member states, among other things, to make increased efforts to promote attainment of the objective of ensuring that training programmes lead to recognised qualifications. The Commission for its part is asked to continue with the activities it is undertaking to continue innovation and the qualitative improvement of training systems in the member states, and to make an interim report to the Council before 30 June 1987 and final report before 31 December 1989 on the progress made in implementing the resolution.

Does the Minister not think that a confusion of quality will arise in the minds of employers who will be taking on people who come off short courses if there is not some form of certification to give the employers an indication of the standard of competence that has been reached, even in some rough way if not in accordance with recognised standards? Is the Minister not concerned that after a number of months have elapsed the people who participated in these courses often find that the value of the courses is of limited use to them in approaching employers — that once they move away from the AnCO training centres the courses do not have much value for them without some form of certificate?

I share the Deputy's desire to get some form of certification but the problem is the method and system that would be agreed upon and established because AnCO are the only body in this area. As regards his second question, I am not aware of the difficulties to which he referred but if it is a problem, I will ask AnCO to have a look at it to see in what way it could be responded to.

From dealing with members of the public I know this is a problem. Young people who complete AnCO courses five or six months ago say the courses are no longer of any value to them.