Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are now in public session. We are joined by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, who is a permanent witness at the committee. We will continue looking at the 2015 appropriation accounts, Vote 20, for An Garda Síochána, dealing specifically with the interim internal audit report on financial procedures in the Garda College. We met on this matter on 4 May 2017 and the issues discussed are of such concern that the committee has decided that further engagement is required. We will be keeping today's meeting to the matter of the interim audit report, and expect to meet with the Commissioner and others in respect of the same topic on 14 June. We will deal with the rest of the Vote on 13 July, when the Commissioner will be before the committee again. While the report refers to matters that have their history in events that span at least a couple of decades, the primary focus of today's meeting will be on what happened since 2015. I ask members and witnesses to co-operate in maintaining this focus.

We are joined today by the following witnesses from An Garda Síochána: Mr. Niall Kelly, head of internal audit and author of the interim audit report; Mr. John Barrett, executive director, human resources and people development; Mr. Michael Culhane, executive director, finance and services; Mr. Ken Ruane, head of legal services; Mr. Joseph Nugent, chief administrative officer; and Mr. Michael Howard, former head of the Garda audit committee. From the Department of Justice and Equality, we are joined by Ms Anne Barry, principal officer, policing division; and Mr. Paul McDonnell from the policing division.

I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery that all mobile phones must be turned off completely or put into flight mode as they interfere with the recording equipment. I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 186 that the committee shall refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government or the merits of the objectives of such policy. Members are also reminded of the long-standing ruling of the Chair to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

Before I call Mr. Niall Kelly to make his opening statement, I wish to point out that we have asked for only one statement from the head of internal audit and other people will also be questioned. I apologise but there is a change to the schedule for today. We had originally scheduled the meeting to commence this morning and to resume at 5 p.m. following a break in the afternoon. Due to commitments in the House, we have had to reschedule that. We will meet from now and my plan is that in two hours, we will take a short break for ten minutes, and continue until approximately 2 p.m. We will then break until 5 p.m., when we will return for an evening session, as originally intended. We may have indicated we were bringing that forward but, due to other commitments in the House, we are proceeding with the original plan. I hope people will appreciate that.