Thweek We’ve seen a massive public outcry following the publication of just some of the expenses incurred by the top brass in FÁS, the national training and employment authority.
At a time when 10,000 people a month are losing their jobs FÁS top managers have been enjoying excursions to the NASA space station in Florida, €410 dollar beauty treatments at West Cocoa Beach, hotel pay-per-view movies, business class travel, and that’s just the start. They have also been spending €12,000 on one-day conferences, a figure which includes overnight accommodation, green fees and refreshments. And Mary Harney was one of those who indulged in the hundreds of dollars worth of beauty treatments in Florida. That’s the same Mary Harney who is looking to cut costs in the HSE. A tad hypocritical I do think.
In light of the FÁS revelations, how many more state and semi-state agencies will be exposed for wasting taxpayers’ money?
Brian Cowen’s handling of this affair has been nothing short of scandalous. To defend a man who has been exposed of wasting hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ money, possibly millions, and describe him as “an excellent public servant” calls into question the Taoiseach’s judgement. And to hand him €500,000 to walk away is a disgrace.
The man he was referring to was none other than FÁS chief Roddy Molloy who this week quit his job over the lavish expenses-paid trips to the US which totalled over €640,000 in four years.
It’s high time some of Molloy’s cronies joined him in the unemployment stakes given the way they disrespected the tax payer of Ireland by splurging money which should have been carefully and delicately spent to further training opportunities and provide employment.
How many FÁS schemes are struggling to secure vital finances at present, how many school leavers are eager to get apprenticeships but can’t, how many workers are now finding themselves on the dole queue looking to retrain? Given the disastrous economic situation we are facing, FÁS is one agency which should be stepping up to the mark, and now these revelations of corruption have tarnished an institution which has helped thousands of Irish people since its foundation.
What other state agencies are splurging taxpayers’ money by taking their wives on business trips, travelling business class? That remains to be seen, but Cowen has ordered his ministers to review all agencies under their remit.
Let’s not be too surprised when more stories like this break.
On the plus side, it’s great to hear the HSE have finally gotten down to the business of making the service more efficient by axeing unnecessary administration staff and managers.
When health boards were abolished, health board administration staff held their breath, waiting for their P45s to arrive any day, but it never happened and layers of management and more staff were recruited, bringing the HSE staff total to over 110,000. I’m not one for welcoming any job losses, but our health service is a shambles and front-line services are constantly being cut back. Proposals to look for voluntary redundancies in the HSE and across the public sector as part of “An Bord Snip” have to be welcomed.
Previously the HSE proposed that 1,000 of its management and administrative posts should be axed as part of a voluntary redundancy programme. Following the Budget it looks like those cuts are finally going to be made. What costs will be saved is another story. A serious look needs to be taken at how hard-earned taxpayers’ money is spent before we hand over a further one per cent of our wages in the latest tax.
