David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I requested this information, as did several other members, some weeks ago. I am pleased we have got the report.

The first thing to say is that the report is heavily redacted. We do not have full information. Several things strike me when reading the report. This is an audit report into a section 38 organisation. It chimes with similar reports we have seen of organisations that have had similar problems and where many red flags have been raised. Cheques have been pre-signed and HSE funds have been used to fund staff gifts and gratuities. There are issues relating to management of conflicts of interest. Over €100,000 was spent on a building where there was no certainty about the organisation owning the building.

Notwithstanding all these failures, if we are to call them failures - and that is being generous – the response from the organisation was phenomenal. I have read the audit report. Those responsible throw their hands up in the air in astonishment that there is even an investigation or examination of these issues taking place. The previous chief executive, who was the Accounting Officer at the time, said that she knew nothing about the audit being carried out.

The arrogance of the organisation in how it responded to the issues is alarming, particularly in view of the fact that it gets a very substantial amount of funding from the taxpayer. I ask that this issue be dealt with as part of our work programme. We have been here before far too many times. We raised this issue when the Comptroller and Auditor General was present at a meeting a number of weeks ago and he helpfully pointed out that this was a look-back at a specific period and that changes have been made since. The report covers the period from 2010 to 2014. Since then, this committee and the Comptroller and Auditor General's office have shone a spotlight on section 38 organisations. We have had the HSE director general before us. When I read the audit report and the response from very high-ranking people within the organisation, I was concerned. I am not convinced that the type of changes we have been led to believe have been made in these organisations have actually been embedded. I do not think we should just note this report and move on. It is an internal audit report in which sections are colour coded in white, yellow and red to characterise the seriousness of the issues that are raised. There is an awful lot of red here. Red flags are being raised for us and it is our job to pay attention to them. I am asking that we bring the HSE in again and, if necessary, the current CEO of the hospice at some point. We should put this on our work programme and give it serious consideration.