Gaeltacht agency dubbed ‘mini-Fás’ over Vegas junket

THE body charged with bringing investment into the Gaeltacht has been described as a “mini-Fás” after it emerged that a senior executive travelled all the way to Las Vegas to meet officials from another state agency.

Údarás na Gaeltachta said a trip in April 2007 was for a meeting with the IDA – which has offices and staff all over Ireland.

Chairman of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Bernard Allen, yesterday asked officials from the Department of Gaeltacht Affairs: “What would be the purpose of a meeting between the IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Vegas? Did alarm bells ring at all in your department?”

The total cost of the trip came to more than €5,000, including €3,839 for transatlantic business class flights, €1,000 for internal US flights and €831 for two nights in a hotel for which no receipt was submitted.

A further €30,000 was spent on seven different trips by senior officials to Halifax in Canada between 2007 and 2008 to observe a seaweed production plant.

Just before Christmas 2007, two officials travelled to Boston and New York and claimed $85 expenses for a limo. The purpose of the trip was “following up contacts with IDA offices”.

The Irish language body tasked with bringing investment to Gaeltacht areas, splurged at least €175,000 on executive travel throughout 2007 and 2008 including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Shanghai.

In June 2008, two Údarás executives travelled to Beijing in what proved an incredibly expensive trip with a bill of €15,203 including €12,304 for their flights.

“On first reading, this is like a mini-Fás,” said Mr Allen (Fine Gael).

But the department said it was not aware of the Vegas junket and no audits or inquiries have been carried out into any trips. Nor did it request details of the purpose of travel.

“The issues were raised with their CEO… he did give an assurance that what was spent was within the rules,” said secretary general Seosamh O hÁghmaill.