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Departmental Administration.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2004

Wednesday, 2 June 2004

Questions (197, 198, 199)

John Bruton

Question:

188 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if the Secretary General of his Department has provided him with advice in pursuance of the Secretary General’s responsibility as Accounting Officer under public finance procedures as set out in table 2 of the Mullarkey report; and if not, if he has requested such advice from the Secretary General. [16865/04]

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John Bruton

Question:

191 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if the audit committee of his Department will consider a risk assessment with regard to strategic, operational, financial and reputational risks of the implementation of the Government’s decentralisation proposals as they affect his Department or its agencies; and if not, the reason therefor, in view of the recommendation of the Mullarkey committee that such risk assessment be carried out. [16910/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 191 together.

While preliminary work has been taking place on decentralisation, my Department and the bodies established under the aegis of my Department are not required at this stage to undertake a risk assessment exercise in respect of the public service decentralisation programme. In addition, the Department's audit committee under its charter has responsibility for oversight of risk management, which encompasses risk assessment in accordance with the Mullarkey recommendations. Consequently, until a final decision is taken by Government on the location of the headquarters of the health service executive and associated agencies, the information requested by the Deputy is not available at this stage. However, these decisions are expected shortly.

John Bruton

Question:

189 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the work completed by the audit committee in his Department in examining the implementation of his Department’s risk management strategy in accordance with paragraph 6.51 of the Mullarkey report. [16880/04]

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The audit committee of the Department operates under a written charter which includes a range of responsibilities including oversight of risk management strategy and process. These responsibilities include overseeing the review of the adequacy and effectiveness of the process of risk identification, impact assessment, and controls operated to mitigate strategic, reputational, operational, and financial risks and to report to the Secretary General on any matters requiring attention in this regard.

As part of the Appropriations Account for 2003, the Accounting Officer included a note describing actions planned to enhance internal control as referred to in the statement on internal financial controls, which included the introduction of a formal risk management process for the functions planned to remain within his Department arising from the health service reform programme.

It will be appreciated that with the recent establishment of the audit committee, initial reviews of Department operations and the control environment is necessary. However, I anticipate that, in fulfilling the requirements set out in its charter, the committee will review the Department's risk management process in the context of the developments referred to above.

Question No. 190 answered with QuestionNo. 187.
Question No. 191 answered with QuestionNo. 188.
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