Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 2004 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Annual Report 2002/3 and Work Programme 2004

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Coiste um Chuntais Phoiblì

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2002/3

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2004

Márta 2004

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Committee of Public Accounts

ANNUAL REPORT 2002/3

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2004

March 2004

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Choiste um Chuntais Phoiblì

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2002/3

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2004

Márta 2004

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Committee of Public Accounts

ANNUAL REPORT 2002/3

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2004

March 2004

Annual Report 2002/3 and Work Programme 2004

Table of Contents

1.Content and Format of Report

This Annual Report covers the period from 14^th November, 2002 the date of the establishment of the Committee, to 16^th December, 2003.

This report has been prepared pursuant to Standing Order 156 (6)) which provide for the Standing Committee to-

•shall present an annual progress report to Dáil Éireann on its activities and plans.

At its meeting on 11 March, 2004, the Committee agreed that all these items should be included in this annual report.

2.Functions and Powers

The role and functions of the PAC are set out in Standing Order 156, which is reproduced at Appendix 1.

The Committee of Public Accounts is appointed to examine and report to the Dáil on:

1.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;

2.The Comptroller and Auditor General’s reports on his or her examinations of economy, efficiency, effectiveness evaluation systems, procedures and practices; and

3.Other reports carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General under the Act.

The Orders of Reference of the Committee are set out at Appendix 1.

3.Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and Membership

Deputy John Perry was elected as Chairman of the Committee on 14 November, 2002. Deputy John McGuinness was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Committee on 21 November, 2002.

Deputies John Curran and Paul Connaughton are the Convenors of the Committee whose function it is to ensure the availability and attendance of Members for meetings of the Committee and, in particular, to ensure Members’ availability for divisions.

The Members of the Committee are set out at Appendix 2

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings of the Committee took place in the Committee rooms in Leinster House 2000. Meetings were held in public unless otherwise ordered by the Committee.

Televised coverage of public meetings of the Committee were broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting by RTE and TV3.

An Official Report (Parliamentary Debates) of the public meetings of the Committees is published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. The Official Reports may also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas website at www.irlgov.ie/oireachtas.

5.Number and Duration of Meetings

The Committee met on 39 occasions in the years under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 115 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in Appendix 3.

Minutes of proceedings of the Committee meetings in public session are attached at Appendix 4.

6.Work of the Committee

On the 39 occasions the Committee met, it dealt with the accounts of Departments and agencies falling within its remit and which had been audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. It also dealt with Special and Value for Money reports carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Theses accounts and reports are listed in Appendix 3.

The Committee’s work programme for 2004 comprises the examination of the 2002 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts and other reports carried out by him and laid before the House.

7.Groups and Individuals attending before the Committee

In the years under report, the Committee took evidence from the Accounting Officers and other officials responsible for the Votes and Accounts listed in Appendix 3.

8.Committee Reports

The Committee did not publish any reports during the year under report.

8.1Work in Progress

The Committee is currently examining the 2002 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts and other reports carried out by him and laid before the House.

9.Travel

The Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its Orders of Reference in connection with its work programme.

9.1

Purpose of travel:

Attending 7^th Biennial Conference of the Australasian Council of Public Accounts Committees

Date of Destination: 2 February, 2003

Members travelling:

Chairman Deputy John Perry and Deputies Sean Ardagh, John Curran, Batt O’Keeffe,

9.2

Purpose of travel:

Attending 3^rd Meeting of the Presidents and Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Budget Committees of the OECD.

Date of Destination; 5^th June, 2003

Members travelling:

Chairman Deputy John Perry.

10.Review of Procedures

The Committee is currently satisfied with its present procedures and role.

____________________

John Perry, T.D.

Chairman

11 March, 2004