COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS debate -
Thursday, 23 Feb 2012

Retirement of Mr. John Buckley

Chairman

Today is a historic day in that it is our Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. John Buckley's last day with us. He has worked for 45 years in the Civil Service and most if not all of that time was spent in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. He joined the Comptroller and Auditor General's office in February 1967 and since then has worked in all sections of the office. I am sure that during his career he has touched on all State Departments and agencies, and knows all their secrets.

In 2003, following a review of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Buckley was appointed to the new value-for-money division. That brought a great impetus to the work of this committee. It delivered real accountability and provided a focus on certain areas where necessary. As I know from my term from 2002 to 2007, the reports were hugely important and still are. They are growing in importance because of the nature and extent of this committee's work.

Mr. Buckley's greatest contribution was perhaps the heavy lifting he did in the course of the DIRT inquiry, which gathered together €2.6 billion for the State in terms of the general recovery that was made from that process. With his help, the inquiry earned a reputation for this committee to which people still refer. We have probably been living on the strength of it since then, so we will have to find something new to revisit. Perhaps the OPW might assist us.

In 2008, Mr. Buckley was appointed Comptroller and Auditor General and has worked tirelessly with the committee since then. In those years, the significant inquiries concerned FÁS and bank stabilisation. Many other issues that now confront our economy crossed Mr. Buckley's desk. Needless to say, his reports have been hugely important but they have also given members of this committee a great insight into how the Civil Service and public service function. For all our disagreements and commentary, we all have a job to do. It is made easier by virtue of his reports which give us a greater understanding of what is involved.

Mr. Buckley is a barrister and has a master's degree in public service management. He is also a keen gardener. This is according to a note from our committee clerk.

Mr. John Buckley

I can see the Lilywhites coming in here.

Chairman

The clerk to the committee has told me about the Lilywhites. As someone from a GAA background, one must mention what he does in his spare time. While we have heard an awful lot through the reports, which have been very informative and helpful, there is a lot more to John Buckley than we have seen in the course of the committee's hearings. I am sure there is a large amount of history that he will take with him as he leaves the service. I would say there is a book in it, given all of his knowledge and depth of experience in the public service. Deputy Ross has also written a book, as I have, so I should mention him. Perhaps we could both work with Mr. Buckley to produce that blockbuster.

I want to acknowledge all of what Mr. Buckley has done, as well as what his staff have contributed over the years. Coming back into the Committee of Public Accounts as Chairman, Mr. Buckley has made my job and that of the members far easier by the easy way in which he does business and shares information with us. Not only from the DIRT inquiry but also from his work generally over 45 years, he has made a huge contribution to the State. We should all be thankful to him for that contribution.

I wish him well in his retirement and hope he will have many years of satisfaction in his garden and with the Lilywhites.

Mr. John Buckley

I thank you, Chairman. It is time to go for the rhubarb at this time of year. They say there is a good book in everybody but for most people it should stay there. In my case, it definitely should.

I wish to thank the current committee and the previous one for the manner in which they have dealt with the work of our office. Our aim in life is to put as much relevant and validated information before the committee as we possibly can to allow it to review issues of public management as well as Government programmes, projects and operations.

I simply want to acknowledge that my office depends very much on the committee for the effectiveness of our work. The committee's role is vital in bringing our work to completion. In a sense, we are almost like twins. By examining our reports and teasing out the issues that arise from them, the committee brings to conclusion the work we begin. I thank all committee members for the energy and enthusiasm they bring to the process. I assure them it feeds back into our system. Rutherford, the man who discovered the composition of the atom, said it is very difficult to think hard out of a sense of duty. Occasional success or acknowledgement is necessary, and the feedback and help we get from the committee is important.

I particularly thank the present Chairman for what he has done. He has spoken about books. As I know from our exchanges on liaison officers he has brought a new meaning to the phrase "the house always wins" as I have lost on that one since he took over the role. I also thank Bernard Allen who guided the previous committee. I also thank the secretariat and staff for their role in translating our reports into material capable of grounding the hearings.

I also acknowledge the accounting officers. All of our reports are subject to a clearance process. In the course of this we engage in detail with each of them and many battles are fought long before we get here. To misquote Mark Twain, public accountability does not work because an auditor general goes around inflicting unprovoked good on people; it works because many dedicated public officials behave in an accountable manner and voluntarily engage with my office and the committee in the process. I thank them for the manner in which they have done this over the four fairly turbulent years I have been in the role.

Like the iceberg, the vast volume of the work of the office goes unseen. It involves certification of accounts, and it may not be appreciated that the vast bulk of accounts get clear certificates and the vast bulk of public administration is done very efficiently and well. Much of the credit for this is due to the integrity of the officials who administer the funds each year. I thank my staff for the way they engage with organisations with regularity, probity and accuracy to ensure the vast bulk of public money is managed safely. It is addressed fresh every year, as each audit is done. I thank the Chairman for his kind remarks.

Chairman

I thank Mr. Buckley. I thank the witnesses for attending this morning's session.

The witnesses withdrew.

The committee adjourned at 2.05 p.m. until 10 a.m on Thursday, 1 March 2012.