Select Committee on Enterprise and Economic Strategy debate -
Wednesday, 19 Jun 1996

SECTION 7.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 7, subsection (1), between lines 44 and 45, to insert the following:

"(m) to publish an annual report and audited account for each calendar year not later than 30th September following.".

The purpose of this amendment is to have an annual audit of the accounts quickly, in line with normal commercial concerns. Other agencies in the semiState sector have published their accounts years out of date. The National Standards Authority is meant to be an independent body. Why should it be responsible to the Comptroller and Auditor General when he has such a heavy workload? Why cannot an independent firm of auditors audit the accounts of the National Standards Authority in line with good commercial practice?

Mr. Rabbitte

The reason the auditing is done by the Comptroller and Auditor General is that the expenditure of public moneys is involved. I cannot accept the amendment because the preparation of such reports is not a function in the strictest sense of the word. I have provided adequately for the preparation of such a report and audited accounts, their presentation to the Minister and for them to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, as per paragraph 8 of the First Schedule.

The strictures I have included relating to those reports and accounts are far more onerous than Deputy Ned O'Keeffe's proposal, requiring them to be prepared and audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General and laid before the Oireachtas not more than six months after the end of the relevant financial year.

The practice to which the Deputy referred was a regrettable feature in the past. However, that is no longer the case if one examines the bodies one by one. For example, I signed off today last year's report of the Companies Office. I gave a commitment in the House that a six month deadline would be met. More and more, that is becoming the pattern. The requirement in this case is that within six months these would have to be presented to the Minister. What we have proposed is more rigorous than what the Deputy seeks.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Section 7 agreed to.