Statement from the Committee of Public Accounts (PAC)

Given the apparent provenance of a number of items of correspondence that the Committee has received which relate to the matters reported on in the media, the Committee has decided that those items of correspondence are no longer documents of the Committee.

However, the Committee is clear that issues that are important and relevant to its remit will be examined in the course of future meetings with the Department of Health and the HSE as part of its agreed work programme.  The Committee takes any concerns in relation to public expenditure extremely seriously and the issues of concern are in the public domain.

Central to ensuring robust financial oversight of HSE expenditure is the need for the HSE to prioritise the implementation of an Integrated Financial Management and Procurement System. This has already been highlighted by the Committee in correspondence with the HSE, a number of meetings with the HSE and in the Committee’s report, Examination of C&AG Special Report 110 – Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Fair Deal), published on 21 January 2021.

In relation to the potential need for a prior year adjustment to the HSE’s accounts, as stated by the C&AG in Committee, this will be examined by the C&AG as part of his audit of the HSE’s 2021 financial statements.  The Committee will consider that matter when it examines the HSE’s audited 2021 financial statements in due course.