John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding allocated by his Department to organisations not audited directly by the Comptroller and Auditor General; the names of these organisations; the funding allocated to each over the past five years; the process in place to ensure that value for money is achieved and that the funding allocated is audited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38675/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Benefacts is a new social enterprise that will enhance the visibility, accountability and transparency of the not-for-profit sector. This initiative is co-funded by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Atlantic Philanthropies and The American Ireland Funds.

enefacts will pilot a service that will provide a single repository of regulatory data on the entire not-for-profit sector. This sector is estimated to encompass 20,000 not-for-profit entities and receive €4.4 billion annually in Government funding.

- Deliver a single (cross-departmental) view of every not-for-profit entity in Ireland.

- Facilitating better decision-making in the Government's funding of the sector.

- Provide services that could be used to reduce the regulatory burden on both Government and the not-for-profit sector.

- Re-build donor confidence and provide for increased investment in the sector.

- Deliver public service reform by trialing and delivering new ways of working.

- Promote open data and transparency by developing a free, publicly available website,

The Department's management of grant funding to Benefacts is supported by a robust Funding Agreement that ensures that value for money is achieved and that the funding allocated is audited. This Funding Agreement provides that no grant shall be paid unless and until the Department is satisfied that such payment will be used for proper expenditure in the delivery of the Project.

A Project Advisory Group, which is comprised of senior officials from the largest grant-making Department and Agencies and chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has responsibility for ensuring that the deliverables of the Project meet the requirements of all end users, in a manner that ensures value for money is achieved.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regularly reviews the Company's accounts and records that relate to the application of Grant monies, including expenditure profiles, cash profiles and regular management accounts. Benefacts are also required to submit their audited accounts to the Department without delay after the end of the financial year.

The Company is obliged to keep all invoices, receipts, and accounts and any other relevant documents relating to the expenditure of all grants received by it for a period of at least six years following receipt of same.

Benefacts will also make its financial records available for inspection to the Comptroller and Auditor General, as and when required, in accordance with the provisions of Circular: 13/2014 Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds.

The table following contains figures for EU Structural Funds.

*Regional Assemblies are National Managing Authorities under the aegis of DECLG and are subject to Local Government Audit and EU Audit

**International Managing Authorities are subject to EU Audit.