F┴S will continue to recruit non-nationals to work in the State, despite the recent spate of lay-offs. The number of unemployed is forecast by the ESRI to nearly double for the next two years, but return to around 4 per cent by 2006. Most people being made redundant are finding new employment in indigenous companies, according to Mr Gerard O'Neill, chief executive of F┴S. In the short-term, there will be a sharp slowdown in employment. However, "Ireland is not facing a situation of chronic, high levels of unemployment, where large numbers of unemployed persons are seen as having no hope of re-employment," a F┴S report on the effects of September 11th has stated. "Rather, FAS's role should be to provide active labour market services to prevent unemployed persons becoming long-term unemployed and return them as quickly as possible to work." The report calls for "more selective" immigration "with a concentration on professional and other higher-educated/skilled types of workers". The next Jobs Ireland Campaign will concentrate solely on vacancies requiring skilled or qualified persons. However, early school-leavers and people with disabilities will find it harder to get into the workforce. The recent "striking" flow of women into the workforce (48 per cent over the age of 15 are working) will slow down. The employed must prepare for up-skilling and retraining, according to the report. The pace of change is so fast, that while most people who will be working in 2010 are already in the labour force, many of these have insufficient education or skills. Employers will be less able to acquire the new skills they need through the recruitment of young people, so the need to learn new skills will be greater than ever.
F┴S needs to work with companies, industry and organisations to encourage human resources initiatives and develop "life-long learning in Ireland", the forecast stated.