Dr. Deirdre Keyes:

I thank the Chairman and the members of the committee. Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board was established in 2013 under the provisions of the Education and Training Boards Act. Its primary function under this Act is the better co-ordination and delivery of education and training in counties Kildare and Wicklow. Equally, of no less importance is the regulation of that co-ordination and delivery in line with the statutory requirements of Government, in particular the Department of Education and Skills, SOLAS and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The ETB Act of 2013, the code of practice for the governance of ETBs, formerly of 2015 but replaced by the current circular of January 2019, Department circulars and ministerial directions that apply from time to time provide the regulatory framework under which we are obliged to operate.

Regarding the co-ordination and delivery of our education and training services, KWETB in 2015 was in receipt of circa €111 million. In 2016 and 2017 the allocation to KWETB grew to €115 million and €130 million, respectively. In 2018 the total budget was €135 million. Almost 70% is allocated to salaries, with KWETB employing 2,572 staff, the majority of whom are teachers, tutors and support persons to our services and schools. Our learners are the centre of our work. We currently have 12,453 primary and post-primary students and circa 10,000 learners in further education and training. KWETB has been a leading and innovative provider of education and training and is integral to the fabric of the communities in Kildare and Wicklow, both rural and urban, through the presence of our 25 schools - primary and post-primary - and one institute of further education. Our further education and training is delivered in 25 centres and through various contracted training programmes, including apprenticeships. We are responsible for the provision of youth services and social inclusion projects in both counties, in addition to supporting many other initiatives and services - for example, music generation, school completion and outdoor education.

We also provide a range of services to our schools and centres in the areas of human resources, corporate services and finance. We manage 70 buildings and premises both for ourselves and other patrons. Our capital programme in 2015 was is in excess of €14.2 million and in 2018 this has increased to €15.7 million.

What we do is important and it is incumbent on us to take the responsibilities we have been given very seriously to ensure quality of delivery, support and progression for all our learners and importantly, value for money through propriety in our financial matters. It is therefore of regret that the Comptroller and Auditor General and Thorn reports which are before the committee today point to serious lapses and gaps in terms of our required regulatory, financial and propriety responsibilities. While the reports note there were arrangements and documented procedures to manage procurement and conflicts of interest in place, their findings highlight serious concerns and shortcomings on an operative basis in the implementation of procurement and other processes during the period of the investigation. We accept these findings.

I am here today as the Accounting Officer of KWETB to give account to the committee of its general administration, in particular to respond to the Comptroller and Auditor General 2015 audited accounts and supplementary report, and indeed any other matters the committee may wish to raise.

While it is my intention to fully engage with the committee, there are a number of matters that have been referred to the National Economic Crime Bureau. A criminal investigation of these matters is currently under way and as such, there might be topics that I and the other representatives from KWETB are not in a position to discuss. I can confirm that we are co-operating in full with An Garda Síochána to ensure that this investigation can reach its conclusion in as efficient and timely a manner as possible. Considerable resources and time have had to be diverted to this investigation. Despite this, our core work has continued and I am indebted to our teachers, tutors, leaders and support staff who are committed to the service of teaching and learning in our ETB.

While acknowledging and accepting the seriousness of the findings of both reports, I hope that I can provide assurances to the committee that KWETB has set out to build a robust culture of corporate governance, building on the policies and controls that had previously been in place but strengthening them in areas of oversight and internal control in, but not limited to, the key areas as identified in both reports. Our current corporate governance programme reflects the requirements of ETBs with regard to our internal practices and reporting to our board, our external oversight and reporting requirements to Government, committees of the Oireachtas, respective Departments, and the Minister, as well as other agencies and funders. Particular attention has been paid to procurement processes and oversight, document retention and control, risk management, management of conflicts of interest, and other matters of propriety. This programme now needs to be advanced in line with the additional requirements as set out in the new code of corporate governance for ETBs as issued in January 2019 by the Department of Education and Skills.

We are also working closely with the other statutory reporting and auditing authorities of the state as relevant to ETBs. The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is currently conducting the 2016 audit. The ETB internal audit unit, IAU, has concluded its ICT and youthreach audit work. The ICT opinion report has been sent to the Department and we are currently working on the management response to the youthreach audit. The IAU have commenced a full internal audit of KWETB's procurement processes, procedures and internal controls. This audit is both timely and welcome. In line with any findings and recommendations of the IAU audit work and related reports we are committed to adapting our corporate governance programme, internal controls and risk registers.

The corrective and immediate actions that have taken place in the light of both the Thorn and Comptroller and Auditor General reports are of particular importance. While the final Thorn report, "Investigation into Certain Matters in Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board", was not issued for the attention of the board and executive of KWETB until 12 September, it was noted by Dr. Thorn that the response of KWETB had been both comprehensive and constructive in the manner in which the executive and board committed to dealing with its recommendations and findings. On the issuing of the report, the Minister, in accordance with section 41(3) of The Education and Training Board Act 2013, gave a number of directions to the board on the performance of its functions. The board accepted the directions in full. In addition to these directions, the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills also directed the chief executive, that is, myself, on a number of matters. Those matters related to a range of actions to which KWETB had committed as part of the recommendations made by Dr. Thorn, the expectations of the Department in terms of the delivery of these actions and the reporting and oversight arrangements that were to be put in place.

During the period from September to November 2018, the executive worked on its action plan for presentation and agreement of the board at its December meeting. A final corporate governance programme was presented and approved by the board on 13 December 2018. A full report was issued to the Department in January 2019. An updated report has been prepared for the Committee of Public Accounts by way of a briefing paper. A steering group comprising the chairperson, vice chairperson and members of the executive has been constituted to have oversight of this programme and to report to the board on its progress.

During what has been a very difficult period for KWETB, it is important to assure the committee that both the board and executive have worked hard to ensure that we continue to deliver on our legislative responsibilities. We achieve this by delivering a quality service for all our learners; this at all times remains at the core of what we do. All of our actions under our corporate governance programme are to ensure the best quality of experience for our learners, proper learning environments, physical spaces, adequate resources, both financial and human and ultimately value for money for the Exchequer. We are fully committed to this and are fully mindful of the governance responsibilities that go with that.

As chief executive of KWETB, I wish to formally confirm my commitment to the highest standards of propriety and good practice to the learners, staff, communities of Kildare and Wicklow, Minister for Education and Skills and the members of the Committee of Public Accounts.