Irish Congress of Trade Unions President Jack O'Connor has said that the national training agency FÁS should remain in operation.
Labour Spokesman on Education Ruairi Quinn yesterday said that FÁS should be shut down after an EU audit identified problems with training courses by private contractors.
Mr O'Connor said he strongly disagreed with Mr Quinn, adding that he was 'totally and completely wrong'.
He said that rowing in with the populist demonisation of FÁS was a poor substitute for visionary and innovative policy-making.
Mr O'Connor concluded that such a view failed to recognise the potential of the experience of the great majority of FÁS workers, who bore no responsibility for mistakes at the top.
The European Commission is reviewing some of the €600m allocated to FÁS in the last ten years.
The problems relate to training courses carried out by private operators.
Following an EU audit last November, the Commission said that to protect taxpayers it wanted issues to be resolved before further funds were requested or paid.
Under the European Social Fund 2007-2013, FÁS had been allocated €211m in funding for training and education.
It has emerged that the Government has not made any application for the funds for almost ten months.
The Department of Education, which has responsibility for FÁS, confirmed that none of the €211m has been drawn down but that it has temporarily postponed claiming for the funds.
