Written Answers. - Departmental Agencies.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
47
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
the number and names of various bodies or agencies which come under the aegis of his Department; the extent to which his Department directly or indirectly fund these bodies; the extent to which these bodies or agencies are financially accountable to his Department in relation to the expenditure of funds voted by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11311/98]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
113
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
the degree to which bodies and agencies under the aegis of his Department are accountable to him in relation to policy and expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11545/98]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
114
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
whether he has satisfied himself that the moneys voted by his Department for the financing of the various tourism activities are the responsibility of his Department in terms of accountability; the manner and method by which this accountability is achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11546/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 113 and 114, together.
As Minister, I have overall responsibility for the formulation of national policy in the areas of Tourism, Sport and Recreation and, through my Department, for monitoring its implementation. The execution of policy is a matter for the State Agencies under the remit of my Department. These include Bord Fáilte Éireann, CERT and Shannon Development in respect of tourism development in the mid-west region. Exchequer funding for these bodies is provided through the voted expenditure of my Department as set out in the Book of Estimates each year.
Funding is also provided through my Department's Vote to ADM Limited in respect of the provision of matching Exchequer finance for management of EU Programmes for Local, Urban and Rural Development and the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. A similar position applies in the case of funding from the EU Tourism Operational Programme for Bord Fáilte activities and for Shannon Development specifically in regard to their investment in product development.
In addition, my Department provides national lottery funds under various schemes to national governing bodies of sport and other organisations and groups involved in the delivery of sport and recreation. These independent organisations are financially accountable to the Department in respect of the funding provided to them under the terms and conditions of the relevant schemes. Funding is also provided through my Department's Vote for the Drugs Initiative. Such funding is then transferred, through the appropriate Department, to the statutory agencies identified as the relevant channel of funding for approved programmes/services in the plans of Local Drugs Task Forces. Each statutory agency is responsible for complying with normal financial procedures in relation to the disbursement of funds allocated to it.
All the funds discharged through my Department's Vote are monitored and controlled in accordance with public financial procedures established by the Department of Finance. In addition, the accounts of my Department and the State agencies under its aegis are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General and together with his report thereon are laid before each House of the Oireachtas.
In addition, the Secretary General of my Department and the chief executives of the State bodies under its aegis are subject to examination by the Public Accounts Committee.
I am satisfied that the accounting procedures and financial controls in place are reasonable and provide for full accountability in accordance with public financial procedures.
