Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

I do not propose to read out the names of the various Votes. That accounts for 45 of the financial statements that are before the committee. They all got clear audit opinions but I draw attention to certain matters. Obviously, the matters that are dealt with in chapters are called out in the audit report.

I draw attention to non-compliance with national procurement rules in 15 of the appropriate accounts. Non-compliant procurement exceeded €500,000 in each case. In four of the Votes, the non-compliant procurement was in excess of €5 million each. Those were Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána, Vote 21 - Prisons, Vote 37 - Social Protection and Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

I also draw attention to a number of other matters. Under Vote 13 - Office of Public Works, I draw attention to the continuing operation of a maintenance contract far in excess of the notified value of the contract when it was put in place. For Vote 22 - Courts, I draw attention to overpayments to a supplier as a result of a control failure. In the cases of Vote 24 - Justice and Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I am drawing attention to EU fines in both cases and, in one case, the fine is continuing at a rate of €15,000 a day.

I also draw attention to the valuation of the property at Thornton Hall and how that is dealt with in the statement of the financial position in Vote 21 - Prisons.

The other accounts that are now lodged in the Oireachtas Library relate to the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. It gets a clear audit opinion for 2020. The Educational Resource Centre also gets a clear audit opinion for 2020.