Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 April 2015
817. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the checks he has in place to ensure that each local authority is in compliance with Government rules on procurement; if his Department carries out inspections or audits of local authority procurement practices; if so, the local authorities where breaches have been observed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14774/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Chief Executive of each local authority is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of the authority; this includes matters relating to procurement. I understand that most local authorities have a designated official with responsibility for procurement. The Local Government Strategic Procurement Centre, which is part of the Local Government Programme Management Office, has put in place a programme of training and education to ensure that Procurement Officers are up to date in relation to procurement rules and trends in procurement. In addition, a full list of all procurement frameworks are circulated to each local authority, to internal auditors and to the Local Government Audit Service. The Local Government Audit Service is statutorily responsible for providing a professional audit service to local authorities. Section 116 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that local government auditors shall be independent in the exercise of their functions. Where deficiencies regarding procurement practices are identified during the course of an audit, the auditor will include such detail in the audit report. In most cases where a deficiency is identified, the Chief Executive of the local authority will advise of steps that have been taken to address the identified deficiencies and this will be included in the audit report.
The audit reports of individual local authorities for 2009 to 2013 may be found on my Department’s website (under the section titled Local Government Auditor’s Reports ) at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/AuditService/#d.en.26979.
In addition, an overview of these individual audits is published annually by the Local Government Audit Service. Page 21 of the overview for 2013 sets out a summary of the findings on procurement related matters. This publication is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAuditService/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,40978,en.pdf.
To enhance the financial management and audit control systems in local authorities, an audit committee, with both councillor and expert external membership, is now in place in each local authority. The functions of an audit committee include reviewing financial and budgetary reporting practices and procedures within a local authority; reviewing auditors’ reports and special reports and assessing follow-up action by management; assessing and promoting efficiency and value for money, reviewing risk management systems and making such recommendations to the authority as the committee considers appropriate in respect of such matters.
