My Department provides funding under a range of different programmes to various bodies. All funding provided by the Department is paid and monitored in accordance with the Public Spending Code.
My Department’s Corporate Governance Framework (which was updated in February 2017) provides a clear and comprehensive overview of the corporate governance arrangements that exist and operate within the Department and is available to view on my Department’s website.
The Framework details the audit, assurance and compliance arrangements which are in place between the Department and those agencies and organisations it funds. As detailed in the Framework, there are a number of key sources of assurance with regard to ensuring compliance and these include issues such as internal Departmental audit of processes and procedures, external audit such as that conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General, risk management and the quality assurance process as detailed in the Public Spending Code.
I am not aware of any particular concerns such as those highlighted by the Deputy nor has my Department issued any new procedures recently regarding the use of credit cards.