Kenny calls for full C&AG oversight of local authorities
Kenny calls for full C&AG oversight of local authorities - The Labour Party
Labour Eoghan Kenny TD has called on Government to immediately bring all local authorities under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), following revelations of what he described as “outrageous and unjustifiable” spending at Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council.
Speaking as a member of the Public Accounts Committee, Deputy Kenny said the €753,528 cost for a 14-step entrance at Deer Park, Mount Merrion shows the “deep structural problems” in how council finances are overseen.
Deputy Kenny, TD for Cork North Central said:
“We would not tolerate this kind of spending in a Government Department without robust external audit. Taxpayers need confidence that every euro is being spent wisely. Right now, the oversight regime for local authorities cannot offer that assurance.
“There cannot be “a two-tier system of scrutiny”, we know Government Departments and State agencies are audited rigorously by the C&AG while councils operate under a weaker system. The same standards of transparency and financial discipline must apply across the board. The current patchwork approach leaves too much room for poor practice and questionable decisions.
“The Deer Park case is symptomatic of a wider governance problem and called for legislative reform. Seven hundred and fifty thousand euro for a set of steps raises serious questions about procurement, oversight and judgement. We need the C&AG examining every local authority account as a matter of course. That is how we restore trust and protect the public purse.”
Deputy Kenny called on Minister Jack Chambers to conduct a full review of the C&AG’s remit, publish major local authority capital projects from the last five years, and bring forward legislative amendments to ensure independent auditing of all council expenditure.
“This is not about party politics. No council, regardless of who controls it, should be free from the highest standards of financial oversight. Extending the C&AG’s remit is a simple, practical reform that will help prevent waste and safeguard taxpayers’ money. The Government must act now.”