Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2009
130 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the contracts granted by FÁS to a company (details supplied) which was subject to a recent FÁS audit; the amount paid to this company in each course case, including trainee allowances, equipment hire, company fees and so on; the location of such courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37804/09]
View answer131 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the date on which audits were carried out on a company (details supplied); the commencement date and completion date in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37805/09]
View answer132 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the level within the FÁS organisation at which the decision was made to grant a company (details supplied) courses after the initial FÁS audit discovered that the previous exam results had been manipulated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37806/09]
View answer135 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason no legal action has commenced to recover moneys from a company (details supplied); if the company is on the FÁS register of course providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37809/09]
View answer136 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will name the company involved in FÁS courses that was the subject of an internal audit (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37810/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 130 to 132, inclusive, and 135 and 136 together.
The table below sets out the contracts awarded by FÁS North East to the company in question and the full amount paid in respect of each contract indicating the trainer fee and the trainee allowances paid. Details concerning contracts awarded to the company by other FÁS regions are being compiled and will be provided at a later date. Following the discovery of a problem by a FAS Staff member during the normal monitoring process, the matter was referred to Internal Audit for investigation by the Regional Director in January 2008. Internal Audit commenced their work in February 08. The audit included:
An analysis of the regional internal verification results
Decision to expand the investigation to two other regions
Series of meetings with the contractor
Series of meetings with the learners
Analysis of a very large volume of assessment material submitted on seven courses in three regions
The final Internal Audit report was completed in Febuary 2009.
A contract, tendered in 2008, was issued by the FÁS Dublin Region for a short course which ran from 2 March 2009 to 10 April 2009. The Financial Authority Levels determine who can sign off on a contract and this is determined by the value of the contract. This contract was signed off at the appropriate level.
My Department has written to the Director General of FÁS to seek clarification as to:
Why in the light of the private firm's acceptance in April 2007 that assessment material had been manipulated on one contract did FÁS and the private firm not ensure that the same thing did not occur on subsequent contracts
Whether FÁS can recover from the private firm the cost of retraining and recertifying the trainees
Whether FÁS intends to establish whether there is a basis for seeking to have this firm removed from the FÁS/EI National Register of Trainers
What other action FÁS is taking to ensure that events of this nature cannot recur.
I understand that the company cannot be named for legal reasons.
|
Contract Number |
Course |
Location |
Date |
Trainer Fee |
Trainee Allowances |
|
€ |
€ |
||||
|
0737 |
Legal Secretary |
Drogheda |
3/4/06 – 20/10/06 |
46,400 |
63,502 |
|
0769 |
Computer Aided Design |
Cootehill |
24/4/06 – 1/12/06 |
60,160 |
92,137 |
|
0927 |
Legal Secretary |
Cootehill |
18/9/06 – 13/4/07 |
52,780 |
59,216 |
|
1032 |
Office Administration |
Ballivor |
9/10/06 – 22/6/07 |
53,280 |
103,116 |
|
0964 |
Computerised Accounts & Payroll |
Dundalk |
8/1/07 – 15/6/07 |
40,480 |
67,735 |
|
1227 |
Office Administration |
Navan |
2/4/07 – 7/12/07 |
50,400 |
115,368 |
133 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the complaints her Department has received in relation to wrongdoing at FÁS; the dates of such complaints; the action taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37807/09]
View answer134 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received briefing in relation to wrongdoing at FÁS, the dates of such briefings; the action taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37808/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.
Complaints are received by my Department relating to alleged wrongdoing in FÁS from time to time and when received are investigated thoroughly. It is not possible to compile the information requested in the time available. I will be in touch with the Deputy on the matter as soon as possible.
Questions Nos. 135 and 136 answered with Question No. 130.
