Allen queries Fás claim by Coughlan

THE CHAIRMAN of the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Bernard Allen, said yesterday that he was concerned by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan's claim that the PAC investigation into State training agency Fás is not moving quickly enough.

In an interview with The Irish Times, Ms Coughlan said she planned to ask Comptroller Auditor General John Buckley to move immediately and launch an inquiry, rather than wait for the completion of an inquiry by the PAC.

But Mr Allen, a Fine Gael TD, said he believed the PAC should be "allowed get on with its work", which is to ensure that taxpayers' money is spent for the purpose that it is intended.

This is the PAC's "only agenda", he said, referring to comments by the Tánaiste on Morning Irelandthat the PAC was following "another agenda" with its investigation.

"We have not delayed our investigation but, in order to conduct a thorough examination, we had to get more information," Mr Allen said.

The Comptroller Auditor General is awaiting the outcome of the PAC's hearing before reviewing the scope of any further investigation, he added.

"At that stage, the committee, as is outlined in its powers, may have to request the comptroller to conduct a more in-depth study if we cannot get to the bottom of what went on in Fás."

The PAC committee inquiry was initiated as a result of the findings of an internal audit report into the corporate affairs division in Fás. The report deals with apparent breaches of procurement rules by the corporate affairs division and raises concerns about a range of issues to do with the then director of the division, Greg Craig.

Responding to Ms Coughlan's comments in The Irish Times, Fine Gael enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar said the Tánaiste's decision to fast-track the ongoing investigations was a U-turn on her earlier statements.

"The Comptroller Auditor General must be given a free hand in its investigation into the massive €1 billion Fás budget. This investigation must not be restricted to the corporate affairs division of Fás but extended to the entire organisation," he said.