Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The audit policy and approach in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is regularly reviewed and updated in the light of risk assessments, particularly with regard to the overseas aid programme which accounts for the largest proportion of the Department’s expenditure. The audit approach in my Department is in line with international auditing standards. The Department has taken a number of steps to review all systems governing the management of our aid programme, including our audit systems, since the misappropriation of funds was recently identified in Uganda. The Deputy will be aware that I immediately sent a team to examine all matters arising from the auditor general's report on the misappropriation of funds. This team has now returned. I will receive its report shortly. Following the consideration of this report, all of our systems, including our audit systems, will be reviewed and strengthened in light of any weaknesses the report may identify. While the team was in Kampala, it held discussions with the Ugandan auditor general regarding the subsequent work to be undertaken by his office. We have a policy of working closely with the auditor general because we believe he is in the best position to identify weaknesses and follow up on the issues that have been already identified. I am satisfied with the programme of work the auditor general is undertaking on foot of his report. This work includes an audit of internal controls within the Ugandan system of government and further investigative audits of expenditure programmes under the control of the office of the Ugandan Prime Minister. In addition and as a precautionary measure, all Irish Aid heads of mission in the past week have been instructed to immediately interrogate control systems in their programmes to ensure all agreed procedures and protocols are being carried out.

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