Committee Reports::Interim Report No. 01 - Appropriation Accounts 1997::20 October, 1998::Orders of Reference

ORDERS OF REFERENCE

1. STANDING ORDER AND TERMS OF REFERENCE - FIRST REPORT OF THE STANDING SUB-COMMITTEE ON DÁIL REFORM ON ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEES IN THE 28th DÁIL

Standing Order 149


“(1)There shall stand established, following the reassembly of the Dáil subsequent to a General Election, a Standing Committee, to be known as the Committee of Public Accounts, to examine and report to the Dáil upon:


(a)the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the Dáil to meet the public expenditure and such other accounts as they see fit, (not being accounts of persons included in the Second Schedule of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993) which are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General and presented to the Dáil, together with any reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon:


Provided that in relation to accounts other than Appropriation Accounts, only accounts for a financial year beginning not earlier than 1 January 1994, shall be examined by the Committee:


(b)the Comptroller and Auditor General’s reports on his or her examinations of economy, efficiency, effectiveness evaluation systems, procedures and practices; and


(c)other reports carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General under the Act.


(2)The Committee may suggest alterations and improvements in the form of the Estimates submitted to the Dáil.


(3)The Committee may proceed with its examination of an account or a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General at any time after that account or report is presented to Dáil Éireann and


(4)The Committee shall have the following powers:


(a)power to send for persons, papers and records as defined in Standing Order 79;


*(b) power to take oral and written evidence as defined in Standing Order 78A(1)


(c)power to engage consultants as defined in Standing Order 78A(8); and


(d)power to travel as defined in Standing Order 78A(9).


(5)Every report which the Committee proposes to make shall, on adoption by the Committee, be laid before the Dáil forthwith whereupon the Committee shall be empowered to print and publish such report together with such related documents as it thinks fit.


(6)The Committee shall present an annual progress report to Dáil Éireann on its activities and plans.


(7)The Committee shall refrain from-


(a)enquiring into in public session, or publishing, confidential information regarding the activities and plans of a Government Department or Office, or of a body which is subject to audit, examination or inspection by the Comptroller and Auditor General, if so requested either by a member of the Government, or the body concerned; and


(b)enquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a member of the Government or the merits of the objectives of such policies.


(8)The Committee may, without prejudice to the independence of the Comptroller and Auditor General in determining the work to be carried out by his or her Office or the manner in which it is carried out, in private communication, make such suggestions to the Comptroller and Auditor General regarding that work as it see fit.


(9)The Committee shall consist of twelve members, none of whom shall be a member of the Government or a Minister of State, and four of whom shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall be constituted so as to be impartially representative of the Dáil”.


Motion setting up the Committee of Public Accounts

14/10/97


“Go ndéanfar de bhun Bhuan-Ordú Uimh. 149 de na Buan-Orduithe i dtaobh Gnó Phoiblí, an Coiste um Chuntais Phoiblí a cheapadh.

That, in pursuance of Standing Order No. 149 of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, the Committee of Public Accounts be appointed.”

Motion appointing Members of the Committee of Public Accounts

16/10/97


“go ndéanfar na comhaltaí seo a leanas a cheapadh ar an gCoiste um Chuntais Phoiblí:—

that the following members be appointed to the Committee of Public Accounts:—

Deputies Seán Ardagh, Beverly Cooper-Flynn, John Dennehy, Seán Doherty, Bernard J. Durkan, Denis Foley, Thomas Gildea, Conor Lenihan, Pádraig McCormack, Jim Mitchell, Pat Rabbitte and Emmet Stagg”


Motion appointing Deputy Michael Bell in substitution for Deputy Emmet Stagg

20/11/97


“go ndéanfar an Teachta Emmet Stagg a urscaoileadh ón gCoiste um Chuntais Phoiblí agus go gceapfar an Teachta Micheál de Bheil ina ionad;

that Deputy Emmet Stagg be discharged from the Committee of Public Accounts and Deputy Michael Bell be appointed in substitution for him”