Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am curious the Department adopted that view because for the individual responsible there was no punishment, for want of a better word, and that person was not held accountable. That is worrying because it sends a message. One can imagine a local authority somewhere believing it can divert that funding and use it for a certain thing and, if it is caught, the only reprimand is the Department will look for the money back. It does not do away with the thinking in the local authority that it can do that. The only punishment, if caught, is having to hand the money back. It does not instil confidence in accountability in local authorities when there is nobody held to account.