Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. Inland Fisheries Ireland was established in 2010, amalgamating the previous regional fisheries boards with the Central Fisheries Board. Its remit is to protect, manage and conserve Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea-angling resources.

IFI’s income in 2022 amounted to €40.4 million. This was up from €31.7 million in 2021. More than three quarters of income comes from Exchequer grant funding. The €6.7 million increase in grant income in 2022 followed a one-off reduction in 2021 designed to reduce IFI’s prior high cash balance.

IFI’s expenditure in 2022 amounted to €39.9 million. More than 70% of expenditure, or €28 million, was in respect of remuneration and other pay costs. Some €9.9 million was spent on operations with €2.1 million spent on administration.

I certified the 2022 financial statements on 29 November 2023 and issued a clear audit opinion. However, I drew attention to a number of items in my audit report.

First, there have been a number of well-publicised governance concerns. The chairperson of the IFI board resigned in April 2022. A new chairperson was appointed in May 2022, but resigned in January 2023. There were a further four resignations from the board during 2022 and in January 2023. As a result, the board became unable to reach the required quorum to meet and to make decisions, including approval of the annual financial statements.

In February 2023, the remaining board members were stood down by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on a no fault basis. Using statutory provisions in the relevant legislation, two persons were appointed on a temporary basis to perform the functions of IFI, pending the reconstitution of the board. The appointees were also required to initiate an external review of governance which was completed in December 2023 and made a number of recommendations. The appointees’ term ended in January 2024, when a full new board was appointed.

I also drew attention to an internal audit review highlighting a number of weaknesses concerning the utilisation of Aasleagh Lodge and cottages in the period from August 2014 to July 2022.

Finally, I drew attention to a disclosure that certain IFI prosecution cases had been withdrawn following legal advice about the authorisation of staff to prosecute offences.

A number of disclosures were made in 2021 and 2022 to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and to IFI. These disclosures resulted in the commissioning of a succession of reviews and reports. The 2022 statement on internal control outlines the status of these issues at the date of signing of the financial statements.

Separately, my office is further examining a number of control and value for money issues in IFI and I expect to present a report on significant findings from that work in due course.