Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1950 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Appropriation Accounts 1946 - 1947

APPENDIX II.

MINUTE OF MINISTER FOR FINANCE ON REPORT DATED 10th DECEMBER, 1947, OF THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 13.

These paragraphs do not appear to require comment on the part of the Minister.

ARMY

Paragraph 4.—Liability for Damage to Occupied Premises.

Arrangements will be made to ensure that in future the liability of the Department of Defence for damage to premises taken over or rented by them will be defined as clearly as possible.

GARDA SÍOCHÁNA

Paragraph 6.—Uniform Clothing for Local Security Force.

The question of suspending the activities of the Local Security Force was first considered by the Government on the 24th October, 1944, but a definite decision in the matter was not given until the 8th January, 1945, when the “stand-at-ease” order came into effect.

No new contracts for clothing for the Force was placed after the 24th October, 1944, but steps with a view to the termination of existing contracts could not be taken until the 8th January, 1945. Only such items of clothing as were actually in the process of being made up on the 8th January, 1945, were subsequently accepted from the contractors.

The Minister is satisfied that, subject always to the legal rights of contractors, official procedure is adequate to ensure that avoidable expenditure will not be incurred after a definite decision to terminate a particular public service has been taken.

PRIMARY EDUCATION

Paragraph 8.

The Department of Education have now arranged to have the farms attached to the Preparatory Colleges inspected periodically by Inspectors of the Department of Agriculture. The Inspectors will advise the principals and stewards and report to the Department of Education on their visits, and will furnish an annual report on their stocktaking of the farming and gardening implements in each College.

TRANSPORT AND METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

Paragraph 9.—Catering service at Shannon Airport.

The charges against the catering service for electricity have now been finally settled. The charges for rent have also been determined subject to certain minor details which are under discussion with the Department of Industry and Commerce and which, it is expected, will be disposed of at a very early date.

PUBLIC WORKS AND BUILDINGS

Paragraph 11.—Irregularities and misappropriations.

As regards the irregularities in a District Workshop the Minister is informed that the standing instructions to Carpenters-in-Charge and Overseers relative to the general administration of the areas in which they operate are full and complete; that the issue of further instructions is considered to be unnecessary and that the existing arrangements for higher supervision are adequate for all save very abnormal circumstances. The necessity for ensuring that standing instructions are enforced has, however, been impressed on all supervisory technical officers. The Minister is satisfied that the expenditure involved in providing further safeguards would not be justified.

In connection with receipts from certain grazing lettings a new system of control is now in operation and the Minister is satisfied that this system will prevent, as far as it is possible to do so, defalcations arising on the collection of rentals.

ARMY

Paragraph 14.—Disposal of surplus motor vehicles.

As the Committee is aware, the procedure adopted in connection with the disposal of the surplus motor vehicles was in accordance with a decision of the Government. The public company concerned intimated, after inspection of the vehicles, that it would be prepared to purchase the total number, provided that the valuations placed upon them by the arbitrators were acceptable. The valuation of all the vehicles was, therefore, necessary. Having regard to the fact that at the time of the transaction, owing to the acute shortage of lorries, secondhand lorries were frequently sold at prices considerably in excess of the then current prices of new vehicles of the same type, the Minister considers that it would have been unreasonable to expect the company to bind itself to purchase the vehicles at whatever prices would subsequently be determined by arbitrators nominated and appointed solely by the Minister.

Paragraph 15.—Failure to discharge certain soldiers on sentence to imprisonment by courtsmartial.

When the cases referred to by the Committee came to light in 1945, the relevant Defence Force Regulation was amended so as to place on the Commanding Officer the responsibility for initiating action in compliance with the statutory provision.

Furthermore, the Minister is informed by the Department of Defence that the views of the Committee have been brought specially to the notice of all military authorities concerned.

Paragraph 16.—Payment of emergency gratuities to certain soldiers awaiting trial in the civil courts.

The Minister is informed by the Department of Defence that, as it is not always desirable to publish in Routine Orders any information beyond the mere fact of arrest, arrangements are being made under which the military authorities will be requested to furnish to the Department of Defence full particulars of all such cases.

Paragraph 17.—Excess purchases of uniform clothing.

The Minister has accorded his covering sanction for all purchases of uniform clothing made during the year 1945-46. Excess purchases were made only in the case of greatcoats and in order to adjust the matter no purchases of those articles were made in the two ensuing years. The number of greatcoats at present held in stock is insufficient to meet the current year’s requirements.

Paragraph 18.—Damage to Occupied Premises.

Assessments in respect of wanton damage are, in practice, deferred until the amount of the Department’s liability is finally determined, except in cases where negotiations with the owners are protracted. In such exceptional cases the procedure suggested by the Committee will be followed in future.