Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 90: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she last exercised the powers available to her under the Schedule of the Labour Services Act, 1987 to sanction the remuneration and allowances for expenses to be paid to members of the board of FÁS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44896/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Paragraph 13 of the Schedule to the Labour Services Act, 1987, provides that "Each ordinary member of An Foras shall be paid, out of moneys at the disposal of An Foras, such remuneration (if any) and allowances for expenses incurred by him (if any) as the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, may sanction." This provision is the statutory basis for the actions described below.

The remuneration paid to members of the boards of State bodies is determined by Department of Finance. FÁS is designated as a Category 2 body for the purposes of such remuneration. The current rates since 1 January 2006 are €24,000 for the Chairman and €14,000 for Directors. My Department confirmed these rates in writing to the Secretary of the FÁS Board in 2006 shortly after the current Board's appointment. The serving civil servants on the Board do not receive a fee.

The Department of Finance determines overall travel policy in the Civil Service and the wider public service. My Department has recently asked FÁS to confirm that the Department of Finance circulars are currently being adhered to by FÁS. My Department has also written to the Chairman of the FÁS Board seeking clarification as to whether Department of Finance circulars regarding travel and subsistence have been adhered to in respect of foreign travel for the period since 2001.