A WATERFORD TD has moved to dispel any confusion surrounding the name of the new further education and training agency.

FÁS is being rebranded and replaced by SOLAS, but Labour TD for Waterford Ciara Conway has been forced to make the distinction between the new agency and the Solas Centre in Waterford City, which provides support to cancer patients and their families.

Conway has said that those behind the centre raised concerns about confusion over the names. However she said:

I’ve been given the promise that those tasked with branding for the new SOLAS agency will be taking into account the branding of the Solas Centre and will make sure that the logos and branding don’t clash and look sufficiently different.

Conway said she’s determined to hold Education Minister Ruairí Quinn to account on the promise. She also said that despite suggestions to change the SOLAS name, this is unlikely to happen.

So what else could the new agency be (tenuously) confused with?

• SOLAS may stand for Seirbhísí Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna, but it also stands for the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, an international maritime safety treaty.
• Solas Bar on Wexford Street in Dublin might find itself with a few more website its from people Googling the new agency, although it doesn’t own the domain name Solas.ie. That honour goes to a project based at Trinity College Dublin which develops information technology for children in hospital.
• Solas.com meanwhile belongs to a Taiwan-based company selling boat propellers.
• Remember the yellow and black Solas lighbulb boxes? We tried in vain to find a picture. If you have one, send it to tips@thejournal.ie (EDIT: Even TheJournal.ie was confused by this one. They are, of course, Solus lightbulbs and they can be found at Solus.ie)
• Solas FM is a Christian radio station based in Dublin, endeavouring to ‘spread ‘the Good News of Jesus’.

More: FÁS to be replaced with new agency SOLAS>