Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022
353. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to introduce legislation to allow local authorities to carry out audits on the procurement of homeless accommodation. [7704/22]
View answer354. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the suitability and performance of existing legislation with regard to local authorities and their powers to carry out audits on procurement in relation to emergency accommodation. [7705/22]
View answer355. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the oversight his Department has regarding the procurement of emergency accommodation at local authority level; and his views on the current level of non-compliant procurement occurring across the State. [7706/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 353 to 355, inclusive, together.
My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless services directly but contributes to the overall expenditure incurred by housing authorities in the provision of these services.
My Department does not have direct involvement in executive functions, such as procurement, carried out by a local authority. Under Section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive of a local authority is responsible for the executive functions of the local authority, and for that purpose to manage and control generally, the administration and business of the authority, subject to law.
Audit and oversight of local government in Ireland is the responsibility of two organisations; the Local Government Audit Service (LGAS) and the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC).
The LGAS carries out an independent, external audit of each local authority, each year. Recent audit reports concerning individual local authorities are available here; www.gov.ie/en/policy/61d9b3-local-government/latest/
NOAC is the national independent oversight body for the local government sector in Ireland. It was established under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 to provide independent oversight of the local government sector (local authorities and associated bodies), including regional assemblies. NOAC has a broad range of functions, covering all local authority activities and involving the scrutiny of performance generally and financial performance specifically. NOAC also has a role in supporting best practice; overseeing implementation of national local government policy; and monitoring and evaluating implementation of corporate plans, adherence to service level agreements and public service reform by local government bodies. A Government Minister may also request that NOAC prepare a report relevant to its functions on any specified aspect of local government. Further information on NOAC and its publications are available at www.noac.ie.
Section 59 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 also requires each local authority to establish an Audit Committee with 3 months of local elections. The Act sets out the functions of such committees, which are to review financial and budgetary reporting practices and procedures, foster the development of best practice in the internal audit function, review auditors’ reports and special reports, assess follow-up action by management, assess and promote efficiency and value for money, review risk management systems and make such recommendations to the authority as the committee considers appropriate in respect of such matters.
