Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 116: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason the consolidated financial statements for a college (details supplied) for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 were only laid before the Dáil on 9 November 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42883/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Universities Act, 1997, Universities must submit to the Comptroller and Auditor General their annual consolidated financial statements. A copy of the financial statements, together with a copy of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the accounts, must then be presented by the University to both the Higher Education Authority and to my Department. My Department must then lay the accounts together with a copy of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C & AG) before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

In the case of the institution referred to by the Deputy, the accounts for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 were signed off by the C & AG on 29th July 2009 and were subsequently received in my Department on 11th October 2010, and were sent to the Oireachtas Library on 1st November last. I understand that any further delay in submitting the accounts to my Department was due mainly to arrangements being made by the institution concerned to translate into Irish the relevant documentation concerned.

In April of this year my Department requested that the Higher Education Authority (HEA) remind all institutions of their responsibility in ensuring the immediate submission to my Department of their accounts once signed off on by the C & AG.