Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2010
35 Deputy Paul Connaughton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there is exposure to the taxpayer via the Dublin Docklands Development Authority following the inability of the authority’s partner in the Irish Glass Bottle site to pay court ordered debts; the significance this will have for the DDDA and the Irish Glass Bottle site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2499/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra46 Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the expected cost to the Exchequer in 2009 and in 2010 of losses recorded by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority; the extent the DDDA has taken on or is expected to take on borrowing commitments on foot of its losses; if he will take the necessary steps to give authority to the Comptroller and Auditor General to scrutinise the accounts of the DDDA; the steps he will take to make the DDDA subject to the Freedom of Information Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44894/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 46 together.
I understand that the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) is vigorously contesting the action taken by Donatex Ltd. in the Commercial Court over the terms of a property deal to purchase the former Irish Glass Bottle Company site in Ringsend, as part of the Joint Venture with the Authority and Memphal Ltd. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on matters which are before the Courts, including the potential impact of other related court cases on the Donatex/DDDA case.
Regarding the Authority's financial outlook, the Chair of the Authority, during her appearance at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on 1 December 2009, indicated that she expected the Authority to report a significantly reduced operating deficit for last year by comparison to the 2008 deficit of €27 million. The final position for last year, including in relation to borrowings, will be set out in the Authority's 2009 accounts in due course. No funding was provided to the DDDA from the Exchequer in 2009.
The Chair has also indicated that the Board has set an objective to return the Authority to a break-even situation as soon as possible. The Authority is in ongoing dialogue with my Department and the Department of Finance in relation to its financial position.
The Authority's accounts are audited by independent external auditors. Under existing legislation, the Authority, along with many other State and semi-State commercial bodies, is outside the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General. Last Autumn, I asked the Authority's Chair, who is an acknowledged expert in corporate governance matters, to prepare a report on corporate governance within the Authority. I will consider the most appropriate response to the findings of this report once it has been formally submitted to me in the coming weeks. In that context, I will keep the issue of any future involvement on the part of the Comptroller and Auditor General under review.
It is important to note that under existing arrangements, it is open to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to request the Authority to appear before it, thus affording Oireachtas Members an opportunity to question the Authority on its activities and outlook. As indicated above, the last such appearance by the Authority's Chair and Acting CEO took place on 1 December 2009.
The DDDA is already subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Acts, under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 297 of 31 May 2006).
