FAS - It's all about PERCEPTION

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There's a fascinating disconnect, is there not, between the credo by which the corporate world lives as it perceives the current expenditure turbulence surrounding FAS senior management and the views put forth by the people at the other end of the social spectrum ?

The former envelop themselves in self justification thro' responses that effortlessly reel off such utterances as: ....."rate for the job"......."what you have to do to be taken seriously"......."we have to act, pay and play like the big boys".
The latter drone on about....."patients on trolleys"...."kids in prefabs"......."raging cost of the public service".

Will we see a paradigm shift or what ?
 
1John said:
There's a fascinating disconnect, is there not, between the credo by which the corporate world lives as it perceives the current expenditure turbulence surrounding FAS senior management and the views put forth by the people at the other end of the social spectrum ?
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I suspect that it would be a big mistake to assume that the response of "the corporate world" to this story would be to agree with the FAS boss' excuses.
 
The contrast is not alone between Fás and the general Corporate world, but between the senior management there and the trainees and I imagine also the general staff body. I remember taking part in one of their schemes in the bad old days of the late '80's and the penny pinching and general mean spiritness was extraordinary. There were many examples but one that sticks out is we had to cash our weekly cheques in a room at the very top floor of BofI in O'Connell Street at a specified time so as not to be mingling with the Customers downstairs...kind of a reverse 'Upstairs Downstairs'
 
When I was an apprentice we used to get £12.50 a week travel allowance. As I cycled and so didn’t have any travel expenses I asked that I not be given it. I was told that there was no mechanism not to give it to me.
 
20 years ago when I was in UL, we had a 6 months work experience period. I spent mine in the office in FAS. However the only way they could pay me is for me to sign on as an apprentice builder. Therefore according to their records I am a part qualified block layer. I struggle with my smallies Lego, so I dread to think what kind of wall I'd build!!!

I accept it was 20 years ago, but the mentality there seemed to be if we don't spend the budget this year, we won't get it next year

As for travel expenses, someone on the radio last night made the point that the CEO of FAS is entitled to travel first class because that is the policy for senior civil servants. That doesn't make it right, but he is entitled to do so
 
There's a thread about the specific issues around FAS expenses in the LOS section. In fairness to the OP we (myself included) should keep this about the broader issue that he raised.
 
Mpsox said:
As for travel expenses, someone on the radio last night made the point that the CEO of FAS is entitled to travel first class because that is the policy for senior civil servants. That doesn't make it right, but he is entitled to do so
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I agree. I take everything I am entitled to. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, and so on. Whether I should be entitled to it or not is a different argument.

That said, if he is willing to 'slum it' in business class so that his wife can travel on the FAS Euro, then he should use business class all of the time. I do not believe that the CEO of a State agency should be obliged to fly economy on long-haul flights.
 
I agree that he should not have to travel economy but I suspect the intent of the term 'first' class was intended to mean business class or equivalent. He was just playing with words to try and justify bringing his wife with him.
Airlines use different terms for their premium classes and first on one is the same as business on another. It would be very unusal for any company to have a policy of flying executives in First class.

I do not believe it is possible to get a 'first' class seat on any airline out of Ireland - only business class or economy.
 
Mpsox said:
As for travel expenses, someone on the radio last night made the point that the CEO of FAS is entitled to travel first class because that is the policy for senior civil servants. That doesn't make it right, but he is entitled to do so
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Thats a load of rubbish. I and my colleagues in the civil service have to travel on occasions and we always travel economy class and don't mind doing so. Have never heard of anyone that I have worked with ever travelling business class and would not expect it. That goes the same for senior civil servants.
 
Purple said:
When I was an apprentice we used to get £12.50 a week travel allowance. As I cycled and so didn’t have any travel expenses I asked that I not be given it. I was told that there was no mechanism not to give it to me.
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Wear and tear on the bike? Extra nutrition requirements? Batteries for the headlights? I know where you are coming from but to say you didn't have travel expenses is not totally true (granted they might not be £12.50/week).
 
diarmuidc said:
Wear and tear on the bike? Extra nutrition requirements? Batteries for the headlights? I know where you are coming from but to say you didn't have travel expenses is not totally true (granted they might not be £12.50/week).
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Who (in the real world) gets paid for travelling into their permanent place of work?
 
TarfHead said:
I do not believe that the CEO of a State agency should be obliged to fly economy on long-haul flights.
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The vast majority of people fly economy on long-haul flights....even the heads of some multi-national companies. As a taxpayer, and with hospital patients on trolleys in corridors , and rats in school pre-fab classrooms, I do not think civil servants, overpaid as they are, should be sent ( along with their parters etc ) on junkets overseas at vast expense to the taxpayer, staying in 5 star hotels, and with return flights said to cost 8,000 euro. What a waste.
 
Purple said:
Who (in the real world) gets paid for travelling into their permanent place of work?
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The employees of the company you were talking about above. "When I was an apprentice we used to get £12.50 a week travel allowance."

BTW I'm not trying to justify it.
 
diarmuidc said:
The employees of the company you were talking about above. "When I was an apprentice we used to get £12.50 a week travel allowance."

BTW I'm not trying to justify it.
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I got it from FAS, not my employer, and I only got it while on block release.
 
boris said:
Thats a load of rubbish. I and my colleagues in the civil service have to travel on occasions and we always travel economy class and don't mind doing so. Have never heard of anyone that I have worked with ever travelling business class and would not expect it. That goes the same for senior civil servants.
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by senior civil servants they were referring to head of departments, head of bodies such as FAS, IDA etc. BAsically they were saying that such people have the same entitlement as Govt ministers
 
what, all the perks and lack of accountability ?

Well I'd happily put them against the same wall too :)
 
Mpsox said:
by senior civil servants they were referring to head of departments, head of bodies such as FAS, IDA etc. BAsically they were saying that such people have the same entitlement as Govt ministers
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No - Just Heads of Department and the staffs therein. IDA, FAS etc are not civil sevants, they are semi-state organisations who operate under a certain degree of autonomy. I cannot say what Ministerial travel arrangements are but I am just talking about the civil and not public service.

Where I work, all travel arrangements are scrutinised and no excess is allowed e.g. only one car carrying multiple persons where feasible. Overall it would have to be done as cheaply as possible and within reason. There would have to be justification otherwise. It strikes me that there was a complete lack of controls at FAS regarding T&S.
 
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