John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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197. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to correspondence of 25 October 2017 from a person (details supplied) if an investigation into the theft of prison property on 19 and 20 August 2017 has commenced; the way in which this disclosure was investigated; if the report will be published; if the report has been concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50879/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 sets out the importance of maintaining confidentiality in relation to persons making protected disclosures, and I am therefore limited in what I can say.

I can confirm, however, that my Department's Internal Audit Unit received a disclosure from a person, which included, inter alia, an allegation of theft of Prison  Service property on the 19^thand 20^thof August 2017.  No names of personnel involved or details of the item / items of prison property allegedly stolen were provided in the correspondence. No further information was provided by the person in response to a request from a Senior Auditor allocated to investigate the matter.

The Audit Unit were unable to identify other sources of information to allow a review of the allegations. In the absence of further information the issue cannot be progressed at this time.