Procurement issues at three VECs among a range of issues to be dealt with by PAC

The chief executives of three VECs [Cork County, Cork City and Kildare] along with the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills will give evidence to the PAC on a range of issues highlighted by the C&AG.

Chairman of the Committee John McGuinness TD outlined how just under €1 billion of the Vote of the Department is channelled through the 33 VECs in the State and there are a range of shortcomings and control weaknesses highlighted in the C&AG Reports that need to be addressed.

Deputy McGuinness said: “All public contracts should be awarded on the basis of value for money and contracts processes should be conducted in an open and transparent manner. There are a number of instances highlighted where that did not happen and the Committee will look for assurances that controls have been enhanced so that this cannot happen again.

In one case, we had public servants who were responsible for purchasing IT equipment who were buying it from a firm that was owned by the public servants themselves. While this situation may be unique, it’s unethical and should not have happened. In another case a VEC college inflated its enrolment figures over a number of years in order to get a higher quota of teachers. Clearly such conduct is totally inappropriate and should be highlighted in order to ensure that it does not happen again.”

The Committee will also examine the Vote of the Department of Education and Skills and there are a wide range of issues such as the current retirement of teaching staff, the impact of changes being negotiated under the Croke Park Agreement and the amalgamation of VECs that will come up for discussion with the Accounting Officer of the Department.

This meeting will take place in Committee Room 1, Leinster House at 10am.

Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI

Ends

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee of Public Accounts

Membership

John McGuinness (Chairman)
Kieran O’Donnell (Vice Chairman)
Paul J Connaughton,
John Deasy,
Paschal Donohoe,
Anne Ferris,
Simon Harris,
Michael McCarthy,
Mary Lou McDonald,
Sean Fleming,
Eoghan Murphy,
Derek Nolan,
Shane Ross