Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 14 Oct 1997

Vol. 481 No. 4

Written Answers. - Value for Money Audits.

Charles Flanagan

Ceist:

41 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the measures, if any, he has taken to introduce value for money audits for local authorities, as provided for in An Action Programme for the Millennium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16313/97]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

The Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act, 1997 widened the role of local government auditors to empower them to examine economy and efficiency in the use of resources and the adequacy of management systems which local authorities have in place to appraise the effectiveness of their own organisations.

My Department is currently undertaking work on the development of modern financial management reporting systems in local authorities. As part of this work, I will shortly be seeking tenders for the carrying out of a study into the systems of costing the provision of services in local authorities, with a view to identifying potential improvements in this area. Impoved costing systems will facilitate more effective assessment of value for money in local authorities. In the meantime, work will continue on the planning and completion of new VFM studies and auditors will, in the normal course of the audit, assess the performance of individual local authorities in implementing the recommendations of the studies already published.