Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 20 December 2012

Public Accounts Committee

2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 19 - Official Development Assistance
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade
Vote 29 - International Co-operation

12:20 pm

Mr. David Cooney:

We audit extremely thoroughly. Obviously, in relation to the programme countries, we ourselves are auditing. We have a constant ongoing auditing. In the programme countries, we have internal audits, we have our own evaluation and audit, we have the audit institutions of the countries concerned and we have companies that we would bring in to audit independently. Obviously, where we are giving to international institutions or NGOs, we will be looking at their audit and we will be then auditing them and the money that we give them. I am comfortable. I do not like to use the word "comfortable"; I would never be comfortable. I am satisfied that, in terms of our audit cover, it is about as comprehensive as it could be.