‘Fantastic’ €6.7m Fás centre trains 12 people

THE head of a Fás construction training centre in the midlands which cost €6.7 million to build but which has trained just 12 people has insisted the centre is a “fantastic hub” for the building trade in Ireland.

Danny Weston said he is “optimistic” about the future of the National Construction Training Centre, which is now under investigation by the Dáil spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The centre at Mountlucas was given the go-ahead by former Fás boss and Offaly native Rody Molloy, who resigned from his post following controversy over his expenses claims.

The centre, which was built in 2007 close to Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s home in Co Offaly, was recently described as “a massive white elephant” by PAC chairman Bernard Allen of Fine Gael.

The centre came to the attention of the committee for training just 12 people at an average cost of €500,000 per person since it opened in 2009.

PAC will examine the cost and operation of the centre, which is understood to have come in at €700,000 over budget, as part of its overall investigation into overspending by Fás and the severance package given to Mr Molloy.

Mr Allen is to write to the Director General of Fás expressing his “concern” over remarks made by the manager of the centre, Mr Weston, to the Tullamore Tribune. Mr Allen suggested the comments “questioned the committee’s right” to examine how taxpayers’ money is being used.

Mr Weston said a description of the centre as a white elephant was “damaging” and that the centre was “a fantastic facility and ready to go”. He said, however, because of the embargo on staff recruitment there are just three staff at present, consisting of himself, one instructor and an administrator.

He had plans to hire instructors on a contractual basis and said he is waiting for a response from the Fás board of management.

“I am optimistic about it; I keep telling people there is endless potential out in Mountlucas.”

When the facility was first built it was envisaged the centre would employ eight staff and it has a capacity for 50 trainees.

Mr Allen said he was concerned management of the centre had questioned the right of the PAC to question how taxpayers’ money is used. “We will be hoping to bring it the attention of the Director General of Fás that they would question the right of PAC on behalf of the taxpayer to ask questions about the centre and its use.”