Kenny highlights Garda investigation on Fás

GARDAÍ ARE investigating the State training agency Fás because of irregularities in the way its €9 million advertising and PR budget is spent, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed in the Dáil.

Describing Fás as one of a "plethora of agencies and unaccountable bodies", Mr Kenny said its advertising spending "is an example of sloppy management of the public's money". This was the kind of area in which the Taoiseach should "see to it that a stop is put to the mismanagement of the spending of taxpayers' money given the challenges we face".

However, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said if there was a Garda inquiry "there should be no political involvement whatever on the matter".

He added that "the chief executive of that organisation is a person whom I personally hold in the highest regard, and whose integrity I would defend at all times, Mr Rody Molloy".

The Fine Gael leader highlighted a recent report by the comptroller auditor general which expressed "serious concerns and questions" about the agency. He said following the report Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar sought documents under the Freedom of Information Act, which revealed that a "a senior executive in Fás responsible for its €9 million PR and advertising budget placed most of the campaign advertisements himself, despite the fact that Fás employs an advertising agency which secures remit from every advertisement placed. It's like keeping a dog and barking yourself."

In one instance "€100,000 of taxpayers' money was spent on advertising in one local newspaper, which is completely contrary to the normal policy of Fás in dealing with national advertising".

When questions were asked "about this unusual arrangement, there was a straightforward conflict of evidence between the official involved and his director general. Their evidence was directly contradictory. The official said the director general told him to place this advertisement."

Mr Kenny said "it is using public money to buy influence in newspapers. That is not what the Fás training agency should be about, and it does down the very good work and good people who work in Fás throughout the country."

Mr Cowen said Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, as the line Minister, "can make inquiries into the matter to get the details of what is being referred to".