Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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60. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department approved of the establishment of a company (details supplied); if so, the date on which; the person upon whose request this was made; and the circumstances under which this was made. [26515/17]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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61. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when and the way in which her Department's attention was first drawn to the fact that lands owned by the OPW were being rented out by the Garda College. [26516/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together.

As the Deputy will be aware I have indicated publicly my concern at the findings of the Interim Internal Audit Report in relation to the financial procedures in the Garda College Templemore. As the Deputy will also be aware, the Committee is examining the Garda Commissioner in relation to the Interim Audit Report and intends to resume that examination in the coming weeks, and will report subsequently. The Garda Commissioner has been Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote since July 2006. Very particular responsibilities lie with Accounting Officers under the law and you will appreciate that I must be careful not to interfere in any way with the work of that Committee.

In relation to the period prior to the Commissioner assuming the role of Accounting Officer, my officials have provided available information to the Committee. The Deputy will appreciate that the period prior to the appointment of the Garda Commissioner as Accounting Officer relates to over 10 years ago and that the establishment of the company to which he refers dates back to the early 1990s, with consequent difficulties in establishing precise facts in relation to detailed aspects of this matter, particularly in the absence of relevant records.

In all events, I am advised that no records have been found in the Department which relate to the matters referred to by the Deputy in relation to the establishment of the Company in question. As previously stated, the Department became aware of certain issues in relation to Templemore in September 2015 having received representations from local TDs in relation to the desire of people to continue to have access to Templemore Golf Club. Subsequently, in September 2016 the Department received the interim Internal Audit report which highlighted the issues around the lack of proper financial controls in operation in Templemore which are now being examined by the Committee.

In the circumstances, I believe that the best course at this stage is to allow the examination by the PAC continue unhindered and can assure the Deputy that I will pay very careful attention to the proceedings at the Committee and, in particular, any report that it may make. If action is required on my part as a result, I will not hesitate to take it.

While, of course, there has to be accountability in relation to what went on at the College, the immediate priority has to be ensuring the problems identified in the audit are resolved. I have been assured that the Garda Authorities recognise the gravity of the issues raised and that they are taking comprehensive steps to progress the recommendations in the Report. External governance expertise and auditors have been engaged. A Steering Committee, chaired by the Garda Síochána Chief Administrative Officer and including a representative from my Department, is overseeing the implementation of the recommendations. In addition, upon receipt of the report I referred it to the Policing Authority to oversee the implementation of the recommendations and to report back to me each quarter. I expect the Authority to submit its first report to me in July.

Furthermore, I am advised that the Commissioner has requested an Assistant Commissioner to examine the Report with a view to establishing if there are any matters of discipline or criminality that need to be addressed and, if so, how such matters should be progressed.