Harney's husband signed off on Molloy's expenses
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HEALTH Minister Mary Harney's husband has admitted that he signed off on the travel expenses for former FAS director general Rody Molloy.
But Brian Geoghegan, who served as chairman of the State training agency from 2000 to 2005, said he personally had not known about the use of first-class travel.
"During my period of chairmanship, I certainly didn't authorise it. It would have been self-approved," he said.
The committee heard that almost €2m spent by FAS executives on foreign travel between 2003-2007 and one paid almost €700 a night for a hotel room in Florida, which included "butler services". But it emerged that many of the controversial flights and accommodation expenses incurred by Mr Molloy and other executives may have been paid for on suspended FAS executive Greg Craig's credit card. These would have gone to another FAS executive (instead of Mr Geoghegan) for approval.
Mr Geoghegan praised Mr Molloy, who quit his job last month following public outrage over the level of foreign travel, as an "able and dedicated director general who had strong qualities of leadership and vision". Mr Geoghegan himself flew out with his wife, Health Minister Mary Harney, on the Government jet to visit the FAS Science Challenge Project in Florida in 2004.
Labour TD Roisin Shortall accused Mr Geoghegan and his board of being remiss in their responsibilities in not supervising foreign travel.
"Have you ever had concerns about the culture in FAS in terms of spending?" she asked.
Mr Geoghegan replied: "Honestly, no." He also rejected claims by Fine Gael TD Padraic McCormack that the attitude of FAS seemed to be: "Ah, sure, it didn't matter, the country was going well, spend away."
But he said he had been aware that a jobs website set up by suspended FAS director of corporate affairs Greg Craig had to be cancelled in 2001 because it duplicated the functions of the existing FAS website.
Cancelled
He did not know that it had cost the agency about €1.7m,
Mr Geoghegan said the FAS board at the time also had no knowledge of the spending irregularities which had seen excessive payments for advertising contracts, reports and the FAS Opportunities Fair.
But the committee heard that Mr Geoghegan had seen an anonymous letter in October 2004 which contained serious allegations about Mr Craig and was "shocked" by it. The recommendation to pay Mr Craig a bonus of €10,000 in 2005 -- while an internal audit investigation into his spending was ongoing -- was made by former director general Rody Molloy. Mr Geoghegan, who was then chairman, was "informed verbally" of the decision.
Meanwhile, FAS assistant director Christy Cooney is leaving today due to his position as GAA president next year.
- Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
