Ireland's program of specific skills training (SST) Objective 1 courses, which are designed to train/retrain the labor force required for implementation of Ireland's Industry and Services Operational Programme, was evaluated by analyzing program expenditure reports and participant profiles, surveying a random sample of 101 employers, and visiting 8 Training and Employment Authority (Gaelic acronym: FAS) training centers. The following aspects of SST were examined: activities and expenditures; trainee characteristics; national and regional throughput; course development, skill needs identification, and relevance; training of trainers; certification and standards; placement; and employer attitudes regarding SST courses and recruitment. SST Objective 1 training courses were found to have been quite successful in meeting their specified goals, largely because of the SST's policy of allowing autonomy at the local level. It was also concluded, however, that the program could be improved through the following actions: standardization of course names, content, duration, structure, and progression to enhance the program's image and efforts to market it; formal integration of employer involvement in the program; and updating/revision of the program to make it more relevant to industry's needs. (Contains 28 tables. Appended are the following: FAS organizational chart; list of SST courses in FAS training centers; and information on sponsored training.) (MN)