Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is a note here that I will read first. The nub of the point the Deputy is making is that, before the parent organisation would provide funding to a body such as An Taisce, it would check the financial position of that body. My dealings in seeing money coming from Departments to bodies such as this show they can be fairly rigorous. Is it in all cases? I do not know but I would imagine so.

I will read the note:

Following on from the committee’s request for information on Exchequer funding provided to An Taisce, the Committee has now received all the necessary responses.

The responses from the 11 bodies vary In the detail provided due to the level of funding disbursed to An Taisce by these entities. The Secretariat have reviewed all of the responses and have ascertained that the level of oversight of An Taisce by the entities is proportional to the level of funding that they provide, and the required service level agreements in place are in line with Circular 13/2014 [this is the important one] - Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds.

The responses also vary in relation to the funding entities’ knowledge of the restatement of the 2018 figures within the 2019 financial statements. The entities that provide the higher levels of funding to An Taisce were aware of the restatements and placed reliance on the unqualified auditors opinion. The remaining entities that were unaware of the restatement have made enquiries of An Taisce and will be carrying out the necessary reviews in order to ensure required compliance. In some instances Departments noted that they withheld funding from An Taisce until they were satisfied with the responses received from their enquiries into the 2018 restatement.

Finally, in relation to the funding authorities satisfying themselves as to the intended use of the Exchequer funding, the responses received stated that regular meetings were held and An Taisce’s reporting requirements under the various agreements were proportionate to the level of funding provided to An Taisce. Some responses also noted that the majority of the funding on certain schemes run by An Taisce was on the basis of vouched expenditure.

I thank the secretariat for scrutinising that and the Comptroller and Auditor General. That gives us a very good level of assurances. I hope that answers the Deputy's point. It was a valid point he raised. If he is happy with it or, if he need something additional, could he please tell me?