Tánaiste defends €900k Molloy pay-out

The Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has defended the Government's decision to pay former FAS boss Rody Molloy a €900,000 severance top-up after more revelations about wasteful spending at the State agency.

The report from the Comptroller and Auditor General yesterday found that FAS executives booked flights worth almost €1m outside approved procedures.

They also spent thousands of euro of taxpayers' money on concert and match tickets without having legitimate cause to do so.

Ms Coughlan today defended the decision to give FAS boss Roddy Molloy a golden handshake when its clear that he signed off on much of the spending.

Ms Coughlan said: "His package in context of his resignation would be less than a package if he was to be removed from the same position."