David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 13:

In page 11, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:“(4) The Office shall, at the request in writing from the Committee of Public Accounts, make available to the Committee of Public Accounts information regarding any costs or fees incurred as a result of the engagement of consultants and advisors.”.

We all accept there has been a great deal of public controversy in the past, fairly or unfairly, in respect of the spend on consultants and advisers by agencies of the State, Departments and organisations which is funded by the taxpayer. In my view it is important the public is satisfied that there is sufficient oversight in regard to the spend on such matters. The Chairman of this committee will understand, as a former Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, that it is important for the Committee of Public Accounts to be able to scrutinise the spending of taxpayers' money, which is one of its core functions. If the spend by this organisation on consultants and advisers was not subject to scrutiny by the Committee of Public Accounts, that would be a mistake. We need to recognise that confidence in how public money is spent is at an all time low for genuine understandable reasons. The possible misuse of taxpayers' money is an issue of public controversy. Where we have the expertise inhouse in the Civil Service that is where most of the work should be done. Some advisory work is necessary at times but it should be at a minimum and when consultants and advisers are used, the contracts should be subject to proper scrutiny, not just by a Minister but by Members of the Oireachtas.

The intention of my amendment is simply to ensure that the spend by this new office on consultancy and advisers' fees is subject to scrutiny by the Committee of Public Accounts.