Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer and this committee's function is to advise the Garda Commissioner on financial matters relating to his or her functions, to report in writing to him or her and to provide the Minister with a copy of each report. If ordinary members of the Garda Síochána, however defined, were to be represented on the committee, it would have to be through either nomination by the representative organisations or an election by all members of the force. I am not attracted to the proposition of putting members of representative organisation ex officio on the audit committee. This is an audit committee and I do not want to compromise people. If one is there to represent a representative organisation, one is carrying out a different function from being an audit committee member. I have responsibility to the Oireachtas for the Garda Vote. The Garda Commissioner will be responsible as Accounting Officer for the force. The committee will assist the Garda Commissioner in his or her role as Accounting Officer and the Minister in the overall responsibility for the Garda Vote.