Former Mayo cathaoirleach seeking council investigation over RTÉ claims
A former cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council is seeking a full internal and external investigation into the affairs of the authority.
Councillor Brendan Mulroy (FF) has called for the probe in the aftermath of revelations by the RTÉ Investigates programme, broadcast last Wednesday, which he described as shocking.
He is supported in his stand by his Westport-based elected colleague, Councillor Peter Flynn (FG).
The RTÉ programme revealed that gardaí are investigating the discovery of alleged forged building compliance certs held by Mayo County Council in relation to its new €11 million swimming pool in Castlebar.
In response to this issue, the council said that it did not rely on the certificates in question, and that it was satisfied it has the required certification under the Building Control Regulations.
It further added that it was aware of the garda investigation into the matter and would cooperate with this investigation.
The programme also cast a fresh spotlight on Clew Bay cycle route project and the fact the council had to refund €1.1 million to the Department of Rural and Community Development after an audit revealed works for which funding was claimed was never carried out under the department's Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.
It placed particular emphasis on funding of €200,000 allocated in January 2019 to build a cycle bridge in Achill.
Despite the council informing the department the project was "100%" complete at a cost of €250,000, the structure was never built.
Councillor Mulroy said elected members of the council as well as the people of Mayo "have been let down by the council executive on many of these projects."
He added: "Transparency and accountability are needed now more than ever from the council executive in Mayo County Council.
"A full internal and external investigation will now have to take place."
Councillor Mulroy said he will be seeking clarity at tomorrow morning's meeting of the West Mayo Municipal District Meeting on updates he received in respect of the Louisburgh section of the Clew Bay cycle route.
Councillor Flynn stated he will be looking for information in regard to who signed off in respect of grant funding.
"As far as I'm concerned there are many unanswered questions and councillors have a responsibility to find out the answers."
Further information will also be sought by elected members of Castlebar Municipal District at their meeting on Wednesday next.
Speaking at a meeting last Thursday of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee, Deputy Matt Carthy (SF) said the Dáil's lack of ability to hold to account the substantial Exchequer expenditure that goes into our local authorities is something that arises regularly.
He elaborated: "This committee does not have a remit. The Comptroller and Auditor General does not audit the accounts of local authorities. That is something that needs to be addressed.
"I would welcome an opportunity for this committee to have an engagement with the local government auditors, the department responsible and representatives of the local authorities themselves to assess how we might ensure there is proper transparency and accountability in respect of the Exchequer funding of local authorities.
"We do not have real local government in this country. I say that as someone who was a proud member of a local authority for many years.
"Essentially, we have local administration of national policies and very limited powers for elected representatives at a local level.
"Where power does reside in local authorities it is generally in the hands of unelected officials.
"In that context, there is a need for full accountability and transparency in this sector as in all public sectors.
"I am raising this issue to try to initiate a debate in the first instance but we should look at arranging an engagement, which could be informal if needs be, with the local government auditor, the department and representatives of the local authorities to see whether we can bring forward proposals that this committee would play a role in ensuring that accountability and transparency."
Deputy James O'Connor (FF) supported Deputy Carthy's comments.
He said: "I strongly believe that the Committee of Public Accounts should look into the particular area of local authorities and their expenditure and management.
"There is another Oireachtas committee but it is similar to what we do with the HSE and the Department of Health and we should be looking at local authorities.
"From my own experience of working as a councillor and coming through here to the Oireachtas, looking back, there are many things that we need to highlight, including, quite frankly, the amount of power that civil servants have within senior management of local authorities across the country.
"In some cases the budgets they control are astronomical. They are much larger than many people realise.
"The scrutiny they deserve should be applied to them by this committee. I fully support any mechanism by which we would undertake work on this area. It is definitely something that the Committee on Public Accounts should look into."
The Comptroller and Auditor General, Seamus McCarthy, said historically, it was always understood that there was an accountability of local administration to elected councils.
He explained: "That goes back very many years. In all the jurisdictions in these islands, you will see there are separate arrangements for audit of local authorities as from central government departments and agencies.
"The amendment recognising local government in the Constitution some years ago has probably copper-fastened that.
"It creates an obligation that there would be separate arrangements. We have very little overlap with the Local Government Audit Service.
"I do not have the power to seek information, receive records or to go into a local authority to examine issues. I do not have power to follow money there.
"It is specifically precluded from me under the 1993 Act under which I operate. We basically do similar things but in completely different jurisdictions."
Deputy Brian Stanley, chair of the committee, said it would be worthwhile seeking a meeting with representatives of the County and City Management Association, CCMA, and the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG.
He stated: " Spending is something that needs to be scrutinised and not when the thing is cooked and the budget is prepared and ready to go but rather during the budget process when it is being put together.
"Greater care also needs to be taken in the budget process in terms of passing it and following the codes.
"Everyone can see there is a code number beside everything on local authority budgets. It is a case of following that, questioning that, and following the expenditure over the years.
"The surest way of putting the brakes on some of the stuff we saw is councillors raising those questions.
"They may be counted as awkward at times for raising these and they may not be thanked for it sometimes in council chambers, either by some other councillors or indeed by the executive of the council.
"However, it is very important they do so because they have the mechanism of a public forum and they have the audit committee, which is another mechanism they can use.
"There are supposed to be at least two councillors on those audit committees and they have to bring a report before the council each year. That is another mechanism they can use."