FIVE MINISTERS travelled to Florida in the United States for a Fás science project in a period of less than three years, it emerged yesterday, as controversy over the spending of public funds by the State authority continued.
Between 2004 and 2007 three senior ministers and two ministers of state travelled to ceremonies associated with the Fás Science Challenge project, which has an annual budget of €1.5 million.
The chairman of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee Bernard Allen commented that Florida "must be a very attractive place to go" after hearing of the extent of the ministerial travel.
Christy Cooney, assistant director general of Fás, said Minister for Health Mary Harney had visited the project, as had Micheál Martin when he was minister for enterprise, trade and employment. Former minister for labour affairs Tony Killeen had also gone, as had Mary Hanafin when she was minister for education, and Michael Ahern, when he was minister for innovative policy at the department of enterprise, trade and employment.
Ms Harney travelled to Florida on the Government jet along with a party of seven others in July 2004. Among her group was her husband, the then chairman of Fás, Brian Geoghegan; the former director general of Fás, Rody Molloy, and his wife; the then secretary general of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Paul Haran, and his wife; and Ms Harney's press secretary and her private secretary.
The PAC hearing was told that the Government jet costs about €7,000 an hour to fly. A flight to Florida would take eight to 10 hours.
Mr Cooney told the PAC yesterday that Fás had also booked first class tickets, at €4,824 each, for the party of eight as a contingency against the Government jet not being available.
He said Fás had forgotten to cancel the first class tickets when the party had been able to travel by Government jet.
"What happened shouldn't have happened and we have to take responsibility for that," he said. However, shortly after the PAC hearing ended, Fás issued a statement correcting Mr Cooney's comments and saying credit notes showing reimbursement of the flights had now been found.
A bill for $410 from a hair and nails salon at West Cocoa Beach, Florida, was among the expenses met by Fás during that trip. Mr Cooney said the credit card that paid the bill was owned by the former director of corporate affairs at Fás, Greg Craig.
Mr Cooney said he was aware Ms Harney had said she availed of hairdressing on that trip, and he believed someone else might have been on the bill too. The wife of Mr Molloy had been mentioned, he said. The person who signed off on the expenses, assistant director general Gerry Pyke, had since retired.
The chairman of the audit committee on the Fás board, Niall Saul, told the PAC the Fás board accepts it is clear there was expenditure by Fás executives that should not have been approved.
A Dáil debate about the Florida controversy was ruled out of order yesterday by the Ceann Comhairle, John O'Donoghue. "I have no intention of spending the Order of Business discussing hairdos, pedicures or manicures. I am not doing that," said Mr O'Donoghue in response to a question from Labour finance spokeswoman Joan Burton.
Ms Harney made no further public comment on the issue, with a spokesman saying the position had already been made clear.
Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe expressed confidence in Ms Harney, describing her as someone who was making an "invaluable'' contribution to Cabinet. He added that there was no question of the Minister's resignation.
The Fás board is scheduled to report to the Tánaiste, Mary Coughlan, after a meeting today and she will bring the report to Cabinet on Tuesday, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan told the Dáil.
Mr Molloy, who was to appear before the PAC yesterday but who resigned on Tuesday night, has been invited to come before the committee next week. So too has the chairman of Fás Peter McLoone.