Cowen 'was warned about FÁS spending'

Taoiseach Brian Cowen was warned about "questionable" expenditure at FAS in 2004 and 2006 - a period when the agency was involved in lavish expense spending, a newspaper report this morning claims.

Mr Cowen, the then Minister for Finance, was warned that a budget of over €800m for the state training agency was not properly focused, according to The Sunday Times.

The Comptroller and Auditor General has since reported on a number of financial irregularities at the agency.