John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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As politicians, when we are asked here by the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO, and other agencies, we have to sign off and confirm that we did this. However, Departments that are spending €12 billion this year do not even address point No. 15 by signing off something and saying to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform that they did it. The Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform has to wait for the Comptroller and Auditor General to do a report, which may be years down the road, and the error could be repeated year after year. I think the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform should have some stipulation that requires the Secretary General or Accounting Officer to respond by way of confirmation. Our confirmation in terms of our sign-off here in this House is a legal confirmation. Until such time as someone is held to account, I think the Comptroller and Auditor General will always be busy.