Loss of Fás jobs fair to cost Croke Park €400,000

CROKE PARK is to lose approximately €400,000 in revenue this year as a result of the decision by Fás not to hold its annual Opportunities jobs fair there.

In December the board of the State employment authority decided not to use Croke Park for Opportunities 2009.

"Instead, the feasibility of alternative exhibition formats involving more regional locations over the coming 12 months will be examined," according to a spokesman.

Last year the authority paid €379,950 for the use of the Croke Park stadium for its Opportunities fair.

In 2007 the cost was €289,000 and in 2006 it was €233,076, according to data released under the Freedom of Information Act.

In total in 2008 the authority spent €499,336 on facilities at Croke Park, including tickets for sporting and cultural events there. This expenditure included €29,443 on a two-day graduation event, €11,878 on a certification presentation ceremony and €20,680 on a seminar.

The total spent in 2007 was €332,036. It included €23,100 on 10-year premium tickets and €580 on tickets for a Police concert.

The total for 2006 was €278,647. It included €40,312 on a two-day apprenticeship awards ceremony, and €2,255 on attendance and food at a Robbie Williams concert. Also that year, the authority spent €2,300 on pre-match hospitality prior to the All-Ireland finals.

At a Dáil Public Accounts Committee hearing last year the former director general of Fás, Rody Molloy, said the decision to move the annual Opportunities fair from the RDS to Croke Park, was taken by him for security and other reasons.

He said the former assistant director general, and incoming president of the GAA, Christy Cooney, had no role in the decision.

A report by the committee on expenditure at Fás is due to be published later this month.