Committee of Public Accounts says C&AG’s 2022 Report on the Accounts of the Public Services highlights areas for further examination

Deputy Stanley said: “The C&AG report draws attention to the performance of two home retrofit schemes that are overseen by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications, who are charged with the implementation of the National Retrofit Plan. The two schemes (the better energy warmer homes scheme and the better energy homes scheme) have been in existence since 2013 and had total expenditure of €538 million to the end of 2022. The report found that around half of the retrofits inspected require some element of re-work, and a higher rate of inspection may be required.

“The C&AG’s examination of the utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme (LAGS) is an area of concern that the Committee have previously reported on in December 2021. The Committee notes that in the 13 years after the scheme was established, no viable development options have been identified for almost half of the LAGS portfolio by area (39 sites). It is also worth noting that although the Housing Agency assessed the LAGS portfolio as having the capacity to deliver an estimated 5,365 social housing units, just 676 units have been delivered since the scheme was established — an average of 52 social housing units a year.

“As Cathaoirleach of the Committee of Public Accounts, I am also concerned about the rise in the accumulated surplus of the National Training Fund (NTF), which stood at nearly €1.4 billion at the end of 2022. There is also a lack of progress being made on the implementation of recommendations to reform the NTF, which was established as a dedicated fund to support employment-focused training.

“In relation to the accounts of government departments and offices, the C&AG identified five votes – Office of Public Works, An Garda Síochána, Department of Justice, Department of Social Protection, and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth – with non-compliant procurement in excess of €5 million, and the Committee will continue to hold bodies to account in this regard.”

Deputy Stanley concluded: “All the matters referred to by the C&AG in his annual report, especially the chapters highlighted, will be examined in detail by the PAC. The scheduling of these meetings on the annual report will be discussed at our meeting on Thursday, 5 October.”

PAC is a standing committee of Dáil Éireann which focuses on ensuring public services are run efficiently and achieve value for money.