Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not say I did not have a plan for the reform and support of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Chairman asked if I would support the merger of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General with the local authority audit organisation and I said I would be reluctant to do that because the Comptroller and Auditor General has a constitutional status, while the local government audit service feels it can best continue with its work in an independent way. The Comptroller and Auditor General has not said he wants additional power but that is not to say we do not have work under way to look at how the office can do its work better and how its work can be reformed. We are currently implementing a strategy up to 2020 which is looking to increase the number of special reports it does each year from four to ten. We are asking the office to undertake an annual good practice event every year and the office has said it wants to do that. We are looking at how the implementation of examination report recommendations can be followed up in a more public way. At the moment, I am required to respond to any report the office publishes with a commitment to what my Department will do in respect of the issues identified.