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The Chief Executive of FÁS, Roddy Molloy, has defended spending by the agency on travel and entertainment for top executives and their wives.
The State training agency spent €643,000 in four years on transatlantic travel promoting it's Science Challenge programme.
Speaking on RTÉ radio Mr Molloy said the money was spent developing relationships with the science community in Florida and that the programme was a very good one that had benefitted Irish students.
He said that all he could do was explain what happened and he did not believe the agency had anything to hide.
Mr Molloy said FÁS does have a very serious checking process for expenses and that people only get what they are entitled to.
He also defended taking his wife on some trips, saying she accompanied him when it was appropriate.
He said he was entitled to travel first class but traded down to business class when his wife travelled with him.
Doesn't mean that what they are entitled to is correct/good value for moneypeople only get what they are entitled to.
What?!? It takes an hour to drive down, two at the most. There is zero justification for paying for anyone to stay overnight if they came from Dublin. No bar receipts should be accepted for expenses unless clients were being entertained (and this was not happening on a training course).and the few course participants who went down on Tuesday night because of the 9am start
What?!? It takes an hour to drive down, two at the most. There is zero justification for paying for anyone to stay overnight if they came from Dublin. No bar receipts should be accepted for expenses unless clients were being entertained (and this was not happening on a training course).
He was staying in B&B's and living on a lot less that €44 a day but still got the full allowance. I won't tell you how much 'profit' he reckons he made last year. He had colleagues who stayed with family and friends and still got the allowance.
The whole system of expenses in the public sector (here we go again I know) is a disgrace.
I never realised Florida was such a hot bed for the science community, I'd always associated it with sun holidays and theme parks. My mistake.
Thought the FAS CEO came across very badly - perhaps he's not the best person to be speaking to the media.
In the interest of balance, I don't think this is confined to the public sector... in my organisation (non-public) this is common practice amongst reps on the road.
Sweet. Bring on the Irish space program.Not condoning the FAS guy but Florida does have Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center and Space Institute.
Public servants should not be watching those movies.I'm not defending him but, to me, the issue is more than just €10 pay-per-view movies.
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