PAC Chairman says C&AG Report highlights continued wastage of public money and taxation issues

Deputy Fleming said, “The threshold used by the Revenue Commissioners to define high wealth individuals is €50m in net assets, high by international standards. There are 480 individuals in this category and unbelievably 120 of these have declared taxable income below the average industrial wage. Another 201 of this group report taxable income of below €125,000. Most people will be shocked to hear this.”

"The C&AG also highlighted wastage of approximately €20million of public money associated with OPW’s leasing of the Department of Health’s new office premises in the Miesian Plaza, at the old Bank of Ireland Headquarters in Baggot Street.”

Deputy Fleming continued, “The PAC has drawn attention during the year in relation to the need for better systems to deal with cyber security. Any parent or business owner understands fully this need. However, there appears to be a complete absence of strategic and resourcing commitment by the government to the National Cyber Security Centre. We will want to know why”

“The State continues to struggle with a massive housing problem. €1.5billion is given to approved housing bodies (AHBs), known to most people as voluntary housing organisations. However, I am flabbergasted to learn that there is no statutory regulation of AHBs. The Department does not seem to know how many houses are built by these bodies. In the middle of the greatest homelessness crisis, when every additional dwelling counts, this is in my view unacceptable.”

“Given the pain and suffering caused by the latest health crisis that is CervicalCheck, the C&AG’s chapter on Hepatitis C treatment will make interesting reading. That particular State error has cost the taxpayer €1.5 billion to date, to say nothing for the terrible consequences for many of the 1,700 people infected. The PAC has drawn attention recently to how issues of data protection are affecting accountability and it is worrying that it appears that a national register of infected persons with Hepatitis C is not being progressed because of such issues. We will want to see this addressed.”

Deputy Fleming concluded “All the matters highlighted by the C&AG in his annual report will be examined in detail by the PAC as part of its work programme.”