asked the Minister for Labour if he has satisfied himself with the adequacy of the financial controls in place within his Department in those areas where members of the public tender money for services rendered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Financial Controls.
21.
Fees are collected by my Department in respect of (a) permits to employ aliens (b) employment agency licences (c) certain petroleum store licences and (d) trade union negotiation licences. I have satisfied myself as to the adequacy of the financial controls.
Would the Minister agree that the areas in which his Department are involved in paying out money to the public or receiving money from the public have increased manifold in recent years and that in those circumstances it is important to see to it that the financial controls that are in place are adequate? Second, is the Minister aware of concerns around the city that there have been serious discrepancies in the work permit area not dissimilar to what happened in the passport area? Can he assure the House that there is no substance in those concerns, or if there is substance in them can the Minister make a statement on that?
The Deputy will appreciate my difficulty in this so I will give him one answer and I will appreciate it if he will leave it at that. I am aware of a prosecution case relating to fees for permits to employ aliens, but as the matter is sub judice I am not prepared to comment.
Has any person terminated his or her employment in the Minister's Department following the anxieties that arose in relation to permits?
Because the case is sub judice I am restricted from saying any more than I have said.
I appreciate the Minister's difficulty. Is the concern that valid work permits were issued and that the money was, as it were, misappropriated or is the anxiety that documents purporting to be work permits were issued without valid authority? Under which heading is the concern?
There is some difficulty in the work permit section which is being examined by the Departments and the procedures have been amended to make sure that nothing of that nature can happen again. I acknowledge no relationship between what I said earlier and what I am saying now.