Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

In respect of the accounts that are presented for the attention of the committee, Nos. 4.1. to 4.5 are the accounts for the semi-State sector. I am drawing attention to the ongoing Garda Síochána investigation into the theft of some valuable artefacts from the National Museum of Ireland and the steps being taken by the museum to prevent further thefts.

No. 4.6 is the finance accounts, the account of the Exchequer Central Fund and is one of the major accounts for the attention of the committee. In my report on the accounts of the public services for 2014, I have a chapter that is based on the finance accounts with additional material, drawing together information in relation to assets and liabilities of the Exchequer.

Nos. 4.7 to 4.47 are the Appropriation Accounts for all of the Votes that were presented on Tuesday. Again, they will form the basis of work for the committee for the forthcoming year. There is a clear audit opinion in respect of all of the Votes. What has been outlined in the schedule in front of the committee is the relationship between the Appropriation Accounts and the Chapters in the report on the accounts of public services. One of the recurrent items to which I am drawing attention is instances of material non-compliance with procurement rules. It is something to which attention has been drawn previously. I know it is a matter that continues to be of interest to the committee. I also draw attention to cases where there have been significant control failures that are explained in the statements of internal financial control at the front of each of the Appropriation Accounts. There is an item in Vote 20 - Garda Síochána in relation to a lapse in control in the oversight and authorisation of claims and staff absences in An Garda Síochána.

In No. 4.31, Vote 31, there is disclosure of irregularities in relation to the manner in which public funding was applied by three local development companies. The grant funding in respect of those was a charge on Vote 25. I think most of the remaining items relate to chapters, which I expect the committee will be dealing with in detail.

Finally, Vote 34 in relation to the National Gallery of Ireland is the final Appropriation Account for the National Gallery. It will continue with more comprehensive annual financial reporting in the future with its funding coming from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.