Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action she has taken since she received the report of the Committee of Public Accounts on FÁS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19932/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Accounts Committee Fourth Interim Report on Special Report 10 of the Comptroller and Auditor General and FÁS 2007 Accounts was published in February 2009. This report contains a number of recommendations relating to my Department, FÁS and the Department of Finance.

In keeping with normal procedure, a formal response to the Public Accounts Committee in relation to this report will be contained in the Minute of the Minister for Finance on this Report. Officials in my Department and FÁS are currently preparing the responses to the various recommendations in order to provide input to the Minute of the Minister for Finance.

In addition to this a number of steps have been undertaken to deal with the matters raised, in particular: -

FÁS has clarified its procedures and strengthened its internal controls, including in the audit and procurement areas;

FÁS has passed certain issues to the Gardaí for investigation;

A copy of the internal audit report INV 137, which was the basis for the Comptroller and Auditor General's Special Report 10, has been sent to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement;

The Chairman of FÁS, following a request from my Department has provided an undertaking that FÁS is now fully compliant with Department of Finance regulations in relation to Foreign Travel.

The Board of FÁS has also stated that whatever additional actions are necessary arising from the Report will be fully implemented.