Gardaí probe Fás misuse of public funds claims

GARDAÍ have confirmed they are carrying out an investigation, after Fine Gael claimed the training agency, Fás, was misusing taxpayers’ money in their €9 million advertising and public relations budget.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny told the Dáil one senior executive responsible for this budget was placing ads himself, despite an advertising agency being paid by Fás to do this work.

He told the Dáil that in one case, a local newspaper was paid €100,000 for an ad campaign, despite the agency’s practice of only advertising in the national press.