Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 3

Written Answers. - EUROSTAT Fraud.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

121 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the current fraud scandal involving the EU statistical agency, EUROSTAT; the amount of money unaccounted for; and the steps being taken to deal with the matter. [21735/03]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The Government shares the widespread concerns about the revelations of financial irregularities in EUROSTAT and the concern of citizens across the European Union that funds are expended in a proper and transparent manner.

The Government fully supports the commitment of the President of the European Commission to ensuring that the Commission co-operates fully with ongoing investigations into this matter. Since his appointment as President of the Commission in 1999, Romano Prodi has introduced a series of measures and regulations governing financial expenditure, which include granting the Commission's anti-fraud investigative unit, OLAF, full autonomy. The financial irregularities at EUROSTAT appear to predate the appointment of the current Commission's term of office and the Commission believes that it is improbable that this type of irregularity could recur under its new financial and administrative procedures. The Government welcomes all initiatives to combat financial irregularities and will continue to support the Commission in its efforts to eliminate any instances of financial impropriety.

In his address to the conference of group presidents of the European Parliament on 25 Sep tember, Mr. Prodi expressed his regret about the EUROSTAT fraud scandal. Legal cases against EUROSTAT officials are pending in Paris and Luxembourg and it would be inappropriate to comment on the specific allegations including the sums involved until due process has concluded. I understand that Mr. Prodi has already confirmed, however, that payments to and contracts with enterprises that appear to have been implicated in this affair have been cancelled. Disciplinary measures have also been instigated against a number of EUROSTAT officials and the operations of EUROSTAT are being reviewed.