Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 2 June 2022

Public Accounts Committee

2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

9:30 am

Photo of Alan DillonAlan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests. I think it is Mr. McCarthy's first attendance at the Committee of Public Accounts so he is very welcome. I commend the witnesses on their response in recent months, especially during Covid. It is only when one reviews the accounts and funds under the aegis of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that one appreciates the role the Department plays in government. It is enormous, especially on the back of the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis, in which it is the lead Department. With significant responsibility in the transfer of community-based disability services, the Department will get even busier. There is a lot happening and that is to be appreciated.

I will focus first on the opening comments from the Comptroller and Auditor General which drew attention to the disclosure from the Accounting Officer around the non-compliance with procurement rules in relation to international protection accommodation services, IPAS. He spoke about the vast majority of non-compliance procurement, over 87%, in 2022 relating to IPAS centres and emergency accommodation. Regarding the 151 contracts with a combined value of over €91 million, what has the Department done to counteract this in 2021 and into 2022? Will the Secretary General give an update of the measures the Department has implemented?

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