FÁS scandal - Change the guidelines

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has developed an effective tactic for shrugging off challenging questions.

Just yesterday afternoon he used this well-worn shield to avoid one of the issues at the centre of the FÁS scandal by saying that the go-away package paid to the disgraced Rody Molloy was “in accordance with the legislation and guidelines that are in place”.

No one in Government has convincingly explained why an official, who betrayed the trust placed in him, deserved such generous supplements to his enviable “resignation” package.