McLoone had mixed feelings on Fás job

PETER McLOONE told delegates that if he had known about excessive spending at Fás, he would not have taken the job of chairman.

He said he had initially wanted to turn down the post when it had been offered to him by the then minister for enterprise and employment three years ago, when he was president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

However, he said the view in the trade union movement was that he should take the position.

He said unions believed that while Charlie McCreevy and Mary Harney had held important ministries, the chairmanship of key economic agencies had gone to the business community.

He said that while the trade unions had been represented on these bodies, they did not have influence.

He said it was felt by Congress that, if he did not take the post as Fás chairman, there was a danger it would go elsewhere.

Mr McLoone said "when the heat came on" in relation to Fás over the spending controversies last November, his initial reaction was to walk away.

However, he felt that he owed a duty to the 98 per cent of the agency staff who were "entirely innocent".

Mr McLoone told delegates at the conference that his remuneration for the role of Fás chairman was "nothing to write home about" and that he claimed no further expenses.