Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2017
52. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she will take to ensure that bodies in receipt of State funding have in place good governance structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47853/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to my earlier reply to Priority Question No 44.
All bodies under the aegis of my Department are subject to the Revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies which came into effect in September 2016.
The Code, which is published on the Department of Public expenditure and Reform's website sets out the respective roles of parent Departments, Boards and Chairs of individual bodies chairperson, and includes details of the Oversight and Performance Delivery Agreements to be entered into by both parties.
The implementation of the Oversight and Performance Delivery Agreements by individual bodies is monitored by officials of my Department who meet with the individual bodies on a regular basis to review progress in relation to performance objectives and governance matters.
All recipients of State Funding, either directly from my Department or through an intermediary funding body, are also subject to the provisions of Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular: 13/2014 Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds which outlines the public financial management principles, procedures, and additional reporting requirements to be followed in the management of grant funding provided from public money.
In addition to the above last week I announced a series of measures designed to support bodies in meeting their governance obligations.
These include:
- Arranging training for board members and senior management staff of bodies directly reporting to the Department in the area of governance in general, and on issues relating to bullying and harassment in the workplace. My Department is also working on a collaborative basis with the Arts Council to make similar training available to other cultural organisations and arts centres around the country at a series of regional information days;
- Highlighting again to bodies reporting to the Department the nature of their legal obligations, by immediately writing to them to seek assurances of their compliance with obligations under employment legislation (the Employment Equality Acts, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, and the Employment Equality Act 1998 (Code of Practice) (Harassment) Order 2012); and
- Accelerating a planned review of compliance by bodies reporting to the Department with the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.
I am confident that these support measures will contribute to the further enhancement of existing governance structures in bodies in receipt of state funding.
