Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Since the Chairman is bringing so many issues to finality, it reminded me of another issue we have discussed many times, namely, the lack of accountability once money leaves central government and goes to local government. It is timely to look at this again considering the publication of the Local Government Bill. I would take the Chairman's advice and guidance on this but we raised the following issue with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform by way of a letter and with the Secretary General of the Department when he was here on a number of occasions and the Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The issue was the fact that members collectively are not satisfied that there is adequate scrutiny when money goes to local authorities. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform gave us an answer from memory that he was open to looking at this committee having a greater role in tracking that money. I think that is desirable but if it is not going to happen that way, we need to know what is going to happen instead. In my county alone, I could list a litany of complete and utter waste. We do not have the same level of opportunity to scrutinise that. There are vast sums of money on deposit and on loan and development levies not paid. Again, I am open to suggestions from the Chairman and the committee but I think we should pursue it with the Departments of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Public Expenditure and Reform at this stage in the context of the Local Government Bill by reiterating our desire for some greater level of transparency in terms of local government funding.