Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

Mr. McCarthy takes over the post of Comptroller and Auditor General at a time of substantial change and reform within the public service. Public service reform requires a commitment from the whole of Government to become more transparent, accountable and efficient. One of the key deliverables in this regard is the radical streamlining of State bodies. The Government's public service reform plan, which was published last November, provides for the critical review of a range of State bodies, including the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Local Government Audit Service. The plan indicates that there is a possibility of merging the Local Government Audit Service with the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor Genreal, subject to the outcome of the review. This review will include representatives from those two bodies, the Departments of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Finance, and Public Expenditure and Reform and local authority management expertise. The critical review of the merger of Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Local Government Audit Service will inform the future development of external audit at local and central government level. While there are challenges to the integration of the central and local government external audit process, there are benefits to be explored from the synergies of agency rationalisation, greater scrutiny of public money, common audit standards and enhanced accountability. Any integration must, of course, take account of the respective positions of local and central government and the local government reform agenda which, among other things, will seek to strengthen the role of elected Members in relation to oversight of local authority performance.

Developments in external audit under the reform agenda will also take account of a range of issues relating to the mandate of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The overall objective is to provide for enhanced scrutiny of public expenditure, including the delivery of value for money. The Government recognises that VFM is more important in the current climate than it has been at any time since its inception.

As I stated earlier, the Constitution provides that the Comptroller and Auditor General shall be appointed by the President on the nomination of Dáil Éireann. Members of the House, in particular those who served on the Committee of Public Accounts, will be very aware of the responsibilities of the post. Having fully considered the matter and following consultation with the leaders of the Opposition parties, including the Technical Group, the Government recommends the nomination of Mr. Seamus McCarthy to succeed Mr. Buckley. Mr. McCarthy is currently a Director of Audit within the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, with responsibility for a number of issues, including exchequer control, Comptroller and Auditor General reporting and Committee of Public Accounts liaison. He has many years service in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. Prior to joining that office, he worked in the Department of Finance, where he was involved in policy analysis, including the development of appraisal and management guidelines for public sector capital projects. Mr. McCarthy holds a BA in economics and political science and an MSc in public sector analysis. The new Comptroller and Auditor General will take up his appointment in a period in which increasing attention is being paid to public sector reform and the value for money obtained from public funds. Value for money in all sectors of the economy is key to ensuring economic growth into the future. The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General has a key role to play in this respect.

I am satisfied that Mr. McCarthy will make an excellent Comptroller and Auditor General. I recommend his nomination to Dáil Éireann.

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