The Government is preparing to appoint a senior trade unionist to chair Fás, the State training agency, when former Ibec director Brian Geoghegan retires from the post at the end of the year.
The post is in the gift of Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin and names mentioned in connection with the upcoming vacancy include Dan Murphy, general secretary of the Public Service Executive Union and a member of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu).
Others in contention for the post include Siptu general secretary Joe O'Flynn, who has a Cork background. Former Siptu president Des Geraghty and another former senior figure from that union, Billy Atley, have also been mentioned as contenders.
While other figures in the trade union movement may yet be in the frame, Mr Martin is expected to make an appointment soon given the imminence of Mr Geoghegan's departure.
At a press conference in Dublin yesterday, the Minister said only that the matter was "under consideration" when asked about the vacancy. He did not elaborate.
Figures in the labour movement are known to have lobbied the Government strongly to have a trade unionist selected for the post, not least because Mr Geoghegan's appointment in early 2001 broke with the established practice of revolving the post between industry and trade unions.
Mr Geoghegan, who was then Ibec's director of economic affairs, succeeded another Ibec nominee, Pat Lynch, former head of Shell in Ireland. The chairman before Mr Lynch was trade unionist Christy Kirwan, an Ictu nominee.
Mr Geoghegan is known to have indicated to the Fás board earlier this year that he was not seeking to have his appointment renewed for a second term.
"The unions are insisting that the next chair will be a union nominee. I don't think there's any question but that the unions want the job," said one informed source.
With pay talks on a new national partnership agreement now imminent after a fractious delay over the Irish Ferries dispute, the Government is considered unlikely to go against the wishes of the trade unionists.
The appointment will come at a time when job creation is expected to slow down next year and in 2007.
