Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 466: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that having considered the contents of the local government statutory audit report on the council's finances for the year 2010, the elected members of Sligo County Council at the council meeting held on 16 January 2012, in the absence of the county manager, unanimously adopted a motion (details supplied); if he will accede to the request from the council to meet with the all-party delegation; if he will indicate when such a meeting will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4049/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority.

In order to enhance the financial management and audit control systems in local authorities, an audit committee, with both councillor and expert external membership, is now in place in each county and city council. The functions of an audit committee are to review financial and budgetary reporting practices and procedures within a local authority, foster the development of best practice in the internal audit function, review auditors' reports and special reports and assess follow-up action by management, assess and promote efficiency and value for money, review risk management systems and make such recommendations to the authority as the committee considers appropriate in respect of such matters.

While it is a matter for individual local authorities, including Sligo County Council, to manage their own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner, my Department is in ongoing consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position. Arrangements are also being made to convene a meeting as soon as possible between myself and a delegation from Sligo County Council on this matter.