Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 9 May 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Local Government Audit Service: Discussion

That is something on which a special report is needed. I refer secondly to the issue of the lands and assets register and whether there is a need for additional training and resources. It is a specialist area and technology will crack it in time to a great extent. There are multiple agencies doing this work and it is an area which needs a special report. I refer also to the issue of these wholly-owned private companies associated with local authorities in terms of their governance and accountability to the elected members who are ultimately charged with responsibility. Having read many of the service's audit reports, those are three areas which jump off the pages as areas in which alarm bells should be rung. While it is a matter for the audit service as to how it does its work, those are three areas I would like to look at again. Certainly, I will keep a keen eye on the next reports. They are three areas on which we need work and, perhaps, special reports. The audit service does special reports and in that context, these are areas it might consider. In any event, I say "Well done" and thank the witnesses for coming in.

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