Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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563. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role played by his Department in ensuring that local authorities adhere to appropriate procurement procedures in tendering for dog control services and pounds; if he has satisfied himself that all local authorities are compliant with national and EU law in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6063/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Under the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2010, local authorities have responsibility for operating and managing dog control and licensing services, including the management of dog pounds and shelters. The procurement of any related services and compliance with all relevant national and EU legislation is therefore a matter for each local authority and my Department has no role in that regard.

Local authorities are independent statutory bodies having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities, including procurement. Notwithstanding their independence, local authorities are required to adhere to statutory requirements on corporate governance matters.

In accordance with sections 107 and 108 of the Local Government Act 2001, local authorities are responsible for the maintenance of all accounting records including the preparation of the Annual Financial Statement (AFS). The Local Government Audit Service provides an independent scrutiny of the financial stewardship of local authorities, including an audit opinion on the AFS of individual local authorities, on an annual basis. The Local Government Audit Service prepares an associated audit report under section 120(1)(c) of the Act.