Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2004
175 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has appointed an audit committee for his Department; its members, charter, number of meetings to date; if it has issued any reports to him or to the Secretary General. [15058/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has recently re-established its audit committee in accordance with the report of the working group on the accountability of Secretaries General and Accounting Officers, the Mullarkey report, and the report of the Commission on Financial Management and Control Systems in the Health Service, the Brennan report.
The committee currently comprises four members while the Department awaits the acceptance of one external appointment. The other external member chairs the committee. The remaining three members are senior officers within the Department.
The committee operates under a written charter which sets out the areas of responsibility of the committee, including its purpose and authority, frequency of meetings and attendance requirements, and responsibilities in relation to financial reporting, internal control and compliance, internal and external audit and risk management. In addition the charter sets out the reporting requirements to the Secretary General.
There has been one committee meeting held this year with further meetings scheduled for the remainder of the year. The committee will present an annual report to the Secretary General in accordance with the requirements of its charter.
