Vol. 450 No. 4
121 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Education when the auditors' report for 1993 for Westmeath Vocational Educational Comittee will be made available; the overrun by this vocational education committee for 1993 under all headings as against the monthly returns furnished to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5327/95]
The audited figures for County Westmeath Vocational Education Committee for 1993 are not yet available. The local government auditors visited County Westmeath Vocational Education Committee late in 1994 to carry out the 1993 audit. However, the audit has not yet been completed. The local government auditor is responsible for the scheduling of each vocational education committee for audit.
The monthly returns furnished to my Department by vocational education committees provide information on the main financial scheme only. These returns showed that the vocational education committee was remaining within budget on the main financial scheme during 1993. However, the 1993 annual return which was received in April 1994 showed that the vocational education committee had exceeded the main financial scheme budget by £79,000.
The vocational education committee is also responsible for the running of ancillary programmes. The programmes are not included on the monthly returns but are included in the annual financial statement. The vocational education committee is required to provide separate annual returns for these programmes to the Department.
The annual financial statement for 1993 showed that the unaudited deficit at the end of 1993 amounted to £450,000, an increase of £137,000 over the previous year.
