Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 19 January 2017
Public Accounts Committee
Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service
9:00 am
Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Sorry to cut across Dr. Lynch but I am conscious of my time. The Comptroller and Auditor General's report, at paragraph 11.52, notes that when an invoice fails a reasonableness test the original invoice is withdrawn and a revised invoice is submitted by the guardian ad litem. How are the reasonableness tests conducted and how were the invoiced hours verified? At paragraph 11.74, the Comptroller and Auditor General notes that reductions were negotiated in 81% of invoices tested. This suggests overcharging of the State by guardians ad litemis a common occurrence. Does the Department believe the studied sample is representative?