Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Yesterday, Deputy O'Dowd, from the same constituency as the Ceann Comhairle, exposed another scandal within FÁS whereby course results were doctored and manipulated so that students in County Louth, County Meath and north County Dublin were able to pass exams that they had failed. This took place in 2007 when Deputy Martin was the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The company involved continued to receive contracts worth tens of thousands of euro to run FÁS courses after a series of discrepancies were first discovered in 2007. This appears to be another example in a long litany of scandals that have afflicted the organisation.

Was the Tánaiste briefed on this when she was appointed? Did her predecessor call her aside and tell her that there was evidence of discrepancies in the way courses were examined, that material was altered and manipulated so that students could get certification? Was she aware of this when she defended the former director general of FÁS, who walked away from the organisation with an enhanced pension worth over €1 million? Was she aware that this latest scandal was seething within the ranks of FÁS? What does the Tánaiste propose to do about this situation? Is the tutor still employed by FÁS and is the company still contracted by FÁS? Does the Tánaiste intend to seek the return of the money from the company due to falsification of records? Will the Tánaiste ensure the company does not receive money from FÁS in any shape or form if that is what it was doing? Will the Tánaiste respond to the exposure by Deputy O'Dowd? May I also ask the Tánaiste-----

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