Mick Wallace
Question:51. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a matter of public expenditure. [15691/14]
View answerThursday, 3 April 2014
Questions (51)
Written answers
This question refers to unsubstantiated allegations made against a named Revenue official and unnamed officials from an anonymous source. I do not propose, nor would it be appropriate for me to address the specifics.
However, I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that these allegations were previously sent to the Committee on Public Accounts. In that context, the Commissioners have had the allegations against the named official and other unnamed officials examined and have received assurances that the travel claims are in order and the allegations are completely spurious and vexatious.
In addition, for the Deputy's information, the Commissioners have supplied me with the following general observations on the matters raised, which were previously provided to the Committee on Public Accounts.
Use of private vehicles
The rates payable for travel & subsistence are those authorised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The actual payment of such expenses is governed by comprehensive regulations laid down by DPER. In accordance with the regulations, expenditure on travel and subsistence is strictly appraised and monitored to ensure that only essential travel is undertaken. Where more than one officer is travelling to the same area, arrangements, where feasible, are made to avoid unnecessary duplication of the use of officers' own cars. Furthermore, the use of private cars is not authorised where public transport is available and suitable for the business and journeys concerned (the anonymous allegations referred to travel to Dublin for Interview Board purposes the travel claim in this regard was for public transport only). As the various payment rates are fixed, vouched expenditure is not required under the regulations. All claims, however, must be approved and sanctioned by a superior officer to the claimant. In addition, approved claims are subject to spot-checking prior to payment by Revenue's Accountant General's Branch in Ennis.
Official Vehicles
The care, management and usage of official vehicles are covered by detailed "Revenue Operational Instructions". Official vehicles are allocated by Revenue for the use of authorised officers on official activities and may only be driven by officials who hold full current unendorsed driving licences. As a matter of good practice, they are not intended to be used as substitutes for private cars for such routine purposes as attending meetings or serving on Interview Boards, particularly where this use would make them unavailable for the activities for which they were acquired. Official vehicles are vital resources which are in constant use by our uniformed enforcement staff when conducting enforcement operations, roadside checkpoints, surveillance work etc.
Seized Vehicles
The use of seized vehicles as official vehicles is not permitted except in very exceptional circumstances. The absence of reliable service records for such vehicles would cast doubts as to their safety and the use of such vehicles could expose the Commissioners to claims for compensation in the event of an accident or incident.
Interview Boards
The Revenue Commissioners take great care to ensure that Interview Boards are fair and impartial. The composition of Interview Boards must take account of gender balance as well as experience, backgrounds, the position(s) being interviewed for and the geographical spread of candidates. Otherwise, perceptions of unfairness can arise and the integrity of promotion or recruitment competitions undermined and exposed to challenge. Consequently, it is prudent not to confine the selection of interviewers to Dublin. Furthermore since Revenue is quite a geographically dispersed organisation, as a matter of good practice interview boards are often held where the posts are or where the candidates are.