Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 18 October 2018

Public Accounts Committee

2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Vote 11 - Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 2 - Collection of Pension Contributions due to the Exchequer
Chapter 3 - Control of Funding for Voted Public Services
Chapter 5 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Vote 11 - Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Comptroller and Auditor General Special Report 95: Financial Reporting in the Public Sector
Comptroller and Auditor General Special Report 99: Public Sector Financial Reporting for 2015
Comptroller and Auditor General Special Report 100: Public Sector Financial Reporting for 2016

9:00 am

Mr. Robert Watt:

I think we debated this the last time. I certainly read transcripts about a conversation. We have done a review. The legislation was enacted a few years ago and we have done a review. The Government has asked a group to look at the implementation of it. We are not suggesting, at this stage, any legislative changes, but we are looking at the guidelines because there is a question about whether they are being implemented uniformly. Do people understand what their obligations are? Do we have enough trained people? A lot of it has to do with having trained people. Through the Office of Government Procurement, we have a programme where we are actually investing to make sure people have it. When it comes to allegations that are made, it is complex and there are different stories. People have to be trained, have to be professional and diligent about it, and go through it in a professional and thorough way. When it comes to disclosures, it is that question about whether Departments or offices know exactly what their responsibilities are and if they have the people with the capacity to follow the legislation.

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