asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the dates on which audits of Laoighis County Council were held by his Department's auditor in 1941, 1942 and 1943 (not including the extraordinary audit of 5th April, 1943), and whether the auditor concerned in these audits observed the many errors in the accounts of the council, such as those brought to the auditor's notice by a member of the council on 5/4/'43; and whether he considers these audits satisfactory in view of the large sum of public money diverted to other purposes, also, whether any degree of carelessness was exhibited by the auditor in the auditing of the previous accounts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Laoighis County Council Audits.
No formal announcement of the audit of the accounts of the county council for the periods in question has yet been made by the auditor. The only investigations made were in relation to expenditure on services or public works to which State grants were applicable. The general audit had to be deferred by the auditor owing to the pressure of other duties. It will be proceeded with shortly and I hope that the final audit of the accounts of the county council for the period up to March, 1943, will be completed within the next three or four months. As to the final portion of the Deputy's question I have no reason to believe that the auditor was at any time careless in these audits.