Vol. 469 No. 3
147 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Education the persons who authorised the raising of a lease on a bus for Westmeath vocational education committee in November 1993; the person(s) who signed the lease documents at the bank; and if she will make a statement on this transaction which involved the raising of money on the lease of a bus which had already been paid for by the parents council of Athlone community college, County Westmeath. [17416/96]
The use of leasing arrangements to obtain working capital was one of the issues referred to by the Comptroller and Auditor General in his report on the 1994 accounts of County Westmeath vocational education committee. According to his report, the lease was taken out on a minibus which had been purchased and paid for by the parents' association of Athlone community college. The money raised was used to refurbish a home economics room in the college and to meet part of the cost of converting the minibus. I understand that the leasing agreement was negotiated with the relevant bank by the former acting chief executive officer of County Westmeath vocational education committee. The lease was signed by the principal of Athlone community college. The leasing agreement was undertaken without the knowledge or approval of my Department.
