I propose to take Questions Nos. 855 to 866, inclusive, together.
Transactions relating to the Local Authority National Partnership Advisory Group (LANPAG) have been disclosed in the annual financial statements of the Local Government Management Services Board (now merged in the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA)). The external audit of this body was carried out by the Local Government Audit Service. The audits of the financial transactions reported in the annual financial statements are carried out on a test basis in accordance with professional audit practice, hence, all transactions are not individually examined. No issue was raised in respect of €200,000 expenditure in the audits.
The Special Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, Report Number 80 - April 2013, entitled Administration of the National Health and local Authority Levy Fund found that “€200,000 (around 25% of the total amount paid by LANPAG) was supported only by two letters of application from the fund administrator and not by supplier invoices”.
The lack of third party invoices in relation to €200,000 had come to light during an examination of LANPAG records by my Department and the LGMA.
LANPAG was funded mainly through allocations from the Local Government Fund. In March 2011, on foot of a request from my Department,
LANPAG refunded €200,000 to the Local Government Fund. My Department directed LANPAG to seek reimbursement of this amount from SIPTU; however, it was subsequently agreed that any remaining balance in the National Health and Local Authority Levy Fund Account should be refunded directly to the Exchequer.
The total amount paid by LANPAG to the National Health and Local Authority Levy Fund Account was €789,919.16. The total invoiced for hotel accommodation, food, refreshments and hospitality (inclusive of meeting room, equipment hire and full meeting facilities) is €130,233.30.
Details of the Trustees of LANPAG are outlined in the following table. I understand that funding recommendations were made by the Trustees and notified to the full LANPAG membership.
LANPAG Trustees:
Christian Name
|
Surname
|
Position
|
|
|
Management
|
Chris
|
Gavigan
|
Local Government Management Services Board (LGMSB), Joint Chairperson
|
Ned
|
Gleeson
|
Limerick County Manager
|
Donal
|
Connolly
|
Waterford County Manager
|
Terry
|
O'Niadh
|
North Tipperary County Manager
|
|
|
Union
|
Matt
|
Merrigan
|
Services Industrial Professional Trade Union (SIPTU), Joint Chairperson
|
Al
|
Butler
|
Irish Municipal Public Civil Trade union (IMPACT)
|
Peter
|
Nolan
|
IMPACT
|
Finbarr
|
Maguire
|
Craft Group of Unions
|
The Board Members of the Local Government Management Services Board in 2007 and 2009, when the €200,000 was paid into the National Health and Local Authority Levy Fund and the current board membership of the Local Government Management Agency are outlined in the following tables.
LGMSB Board: 2007
Name:
|
Title:
|
Mr M Malone (Chair)
|
Kildare County Manager
|
Mr T Ó Niadh
|
North Tipperary County Manager
|
Mr J Allen
|
Departmental Representative:
|
Mr A Fleming
|
Clare County Manager
|
Mr J Gavin
|
Cork City Manager
|
Mr P Greene
|
Departmental Representative
|
Mr F Kelly
|
HR Manager, Dublin City Council
|
Mr A Kinch
|
Departmental Representative
|
Ms J Maguire
|
Leitrim County Manager
|
Mr D Mahon
|
Mayo County Manager
|
Mr D Nelson
|
Monaghan County Manager
|
Mr D O’Connor
|
Fingal County Manager
|
Mr E Sheehy
|
Wicklow County Manager
|
LGMSB Board 2009:
Name:
|
Title:
|
Mr E O’Connor (Chair)
|
South Tipperary County Manager
|
Mr E Sheehy
|
Wicklow County Manager
|
Mr E Breen
|
Wexford County Manager
|
Mr P Carey
|
Laois County Manager
|
Mr E Gleeson
|
Limerick County Manager
|
Mr T Mackey
|
Limerick City Manager
|
Mr M McLoone
|
Donegal County Manager
|
Mr T O’Niadh
|
North Tipperary County Manager
|
Mr J Tierney
|
Dublin City Manager
|
Mr J Allen
|
Departmental Representative
|
Mr P Lemass
|
Departmental Representative
|
Mr P McDonald
|
Departmental Representative
|
LGMA Board: 2013
Name:
|
Title:
|
Mr H Kearns (Chair)
|
Sligo County Manager
|
Mr M Malone
|
Kildare County Manager
|
Mr P Carey
|
Laois County Manager
|
Mr D McLoughlin
|
South Dublin County Manager
|
Mr M Riordan
|
Cork County Manager
|
Mr E Sheehy
|
Wicklow County Manager
|
Mr B Quinlan
|
Departmental Representative
|
Mr D Enright
|
Departmental Representative
|
Mr P McDonald
|
Departmental Representative
|
I understand that over the period 1999-2009 LANPAG undertook, and funded, three international study visits related to partnership in other jurisdictions (USA, Canada, Spain) at a cost of just over €91,000. The 9-10 participants in each case comprised principally local authority officials, union representatives and LGMA/LANPAG representatives. My Department was represented by an official on two of these study visits.
Information regarding the participants and costs incurred by LANPAG in relation to the study visits is outlined in the following table. I understand that Travel and Subsistence claims were paid by LANPAG.
New York: 7 – 15, September 2001
Participants
|
Organisation
|
Expenses
|
Amount
|
Finbarr Maguire
|
TEEU
|
Travel & Subsistence
|
1,303.42
|
Bernadette Kinsella
|
Offaly County Council
|
|
1,303.42
|
Frank Kelly
|
Dublin City Council
|
|
1,303.42
|
Joe Byrne
|
UCATT
|
|
1,303.42
|
Brian Byrd
|
SIPTU
|
|
1,303.42
|
Geraldine Browne
|
LGMSB
|
|
1,303.42
|
|
-
|
Flights & Accommodation
|
31,970.37
|
|
-
|
Hospitality
|
374.24
|
|
-
|
Transport
|
38.50
|
TOTAL
|
|
|
41,507.05
|
Madrid: 10 - 18 October 2003
Participants
|
Organisation
|
Expenses
|
Amount
|
Aidan Kinch
|
Dept of Environment
|
Travel & Subsistence
|
546.00
|
Finbarr Maguire
|
TEEU
|
|
714.00
|
Michael McGinty
|
IMPACT
|
|
756.00
|
Denis Curtin
|
SIPTU
|
|
714.00
|
Joe Byrne
|
UCATT
|
|
756.00
|
Brian Byrd
|
SIPTU
|
|
714.00
|
Al Butler
|
IMPACT
|
|
630.00
|
Michael McCabe
|
IMPACT
|
|
756.00
|
Geraldine Browne
|
LGMSB
|
|
756.00
|
|
|
Flights & Accommodation
|
11,972.37
|
|
|
Hospitality
|
900
|
|
|
Corporate gifts
|
400
|
TOTAL
|
|
|
19,614.81
|
Toronto and Ottawa: 4-10 October 2007
Participants
|
Organisation
|
Expenses
|
Amount
|
Terry O'Niadh
|
North Tipperary County Council
|
Travel & Subsistence
|
1,269.18
|
Peter Greene
|
Dept of Environment
|
|
1,269.18
|
Michael McGinty
|
IMPACT
|
|
1,269.18
|
Joe Byrne
|
UCATT
|
|
1,269.18
|
Brian Byrd
|
SIPTU
|
|
1,269.18
|
Frank Kelly
|
Dublin City Council
|
|
1,269.18
|
Peter Nolan
|
IMPACT
|
|
1,269.18
|
Paddy Coughlan
|
TEEU
|
|
1,269.18
|
Alice Hennessy
|
IMPACT
|
|
1,269.18
|
Geraldine Browne
|
LGMSB
|
|
1,269.18
|
|
|
Flights & Accommodation
|
11,904.58
|
|
|
Transport
|
2,223.00
|
|
|
Rail
|
2,102.71
|
|
|
Hospitality
|
807.09
|
|
|
Car parking/taxis
|
161.90
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
29,891.09
|
The information requested regarding specified members of LANPAG is outlined in the following table:
LANPAG Member
|
Representing:
|
Term:
|
Declan Naughton
|
LGMA
|
2001 to 2005
|
Frank Kelly
|
Dublin City Council
|
1999 to 2010
|
Ned O’Connor
|
South Tipperary County Council
|
2003 to 2010
|
Chris Gavigan
|
LGMA
|
1999 to date
|
LANPAG is supported in its activities by the LGMA which provides administrative assistance and acts as the host agency for LANPAG. Following the merger of the Local Government Management Services Board (LGMSB) and the Local Government Computer Services Board (LGCSB) and the establishment of the LGMA in 2012, I understand that a management decision was taken to rationalise the number of websites associated with the two merging bodies and to archive historical documents. As a result, the LGMA decided that the LANPAG website would no longer operate as a dedicated website; relevant material is published on the LGMA website www.lgma.ie
Financial information relating to LANPAG is contained in the annual financial statements of the LGMA. Its Annual Reports are available on the LGMA website. I understand that LANPAG minutes have never been uploaded onto the website. The final accounts of the LGMSB will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas shortly.