Ciaran’s Peculier [sic] Blog

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has given his fulsome support to FAS supremo Roddy Molloy, following the controversy over how the state agency was able to run up bills in excess of 600,000 euro for participation of FAS executives at various events. This follows Mr Molloy’s own arrogant defence of his own practice of flying first class and bringing his wife along fo the ride.
I can’t help thinking here of the many FAS trainees who often have to stand out in heavy showers waiting for lifts to bring them to work. They don’t have the option of going first class do they.
Mr Molloy’s actions should demonstrate the nature of public spending in Ireland. It goes to keep fat cats like him; when governments decide to cut spending it is the people at the bottom who always suffer, not the types of Molloy who will continue to enjoy a pampered existence, while supposedly looking out for those less fortunate.
FAS (or ANCO as it used to be called) is, based on anecdotal evidence, one of the most inefficient and corrupt organisations in the state. It should be wound up or seriously reformed, but that will never happen because there are too many fat cats, or cats in serious danger of obesity, who have a vested interest in keeping the show on the road as it is. For years FAS schemes have been a source of cheap labour for a whole range of institutions, especially at local government level. Trainees are supposedly given skills, but even when they get these there are not always jobs there for them. My own experience of people on FAS schemes is that they are a really enthusiastic group of people, who very often are being cynically exploited.
There used to be a whole lot of very unfair barriers preventing certain categories from joining FAS schemes. For one, married women were often unable to get places, but I know of one instance where the wife of a very well-paid individual who was in charge of a very important institution in what we’ll just call the heritage area, got a place on a FAS scheme working in her husband’s institution.
Cowen’s endorsement of his good friend Molloy should hardly surprise anyone. You could say it was simlar to a code of mutual support amongst a branch of the mafia. An Irish proverb comes to mind: Aithnionn ciarog ciarog eile…