FÁS to pay €175,000 to ex director who claims he was scapegoated

FÁS has agreed to pay €175,000 to one of its directors who claimed he had been used as a scapegoat by the agency.

Former director of corporate affairs Gregory Craig of Greenlea Grove, Terenure has agreed to his dismissal as part of a settlement presented to the High Court today.

The 49-year-old father-of-three was suspended in November 2008 at the height of public concern about the lavish expenses regime at FÁS.

In September of this year he was dismissed by the training agency following an audit investigation which he claimed was unfair.

A lengthy and costly High Court challenge to keep his job was on the cards but mediation talks have led to a settlement.

Greg Craig gets €175,000 to leave FÁS and a partial apology, but the agency maintains that the former director breached its procurment procedures.

The deal will also lead to the partial release of the critical Mazars report to the Public Accounts Committee that may shed light on allegations that FÁS gave inaccurate information to the Committee in late 2008.

Today, Mr Craig said he believes he was deliberately targeted and that the unpublished Mazars report will vindicate his position.