AUDIT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Tuesday 6 January 2009
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Robin Newton MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Samuel Gardner (Deputy Chairman)
Dr Stephen Farry
Mr Paul Maskey
Mr Pat Ramsey
In Attendance:
Ms Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Stella McArdle (Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Devlin (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Ms Jessica Dougan (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
None
The meeting opened at 1.30 pm in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2008
Agreed : The draft minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2008 were agreed.
1.32pm Dr Farry joined the meeting.
3. Matters Arising
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek evidence from the Department for Finance and Personnel, the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Finance and Personnel Committee on the cost issues surrounding the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek evidence from the Comptroller and Auditor General and the head of the quality review panel on quality assessment of value for money reports, and from the Public Accounts Committee on the quality assessment process and ratings.
4. Appointment of Auditors to the Northern Ireland Audit Office
Mr David Thomson and Ms Alison Caldwell from the Department for Finance and Personnel briefed the Committee on the appointment of auditors to the Northern Ireland Audit Office.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to endorse the DFP recommendation of Baker Tilly Mooney Moore as auditor for the NIAO.
5. Financial Provisions Bill
The Committee was briefed by Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller and Auditor General; Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General; and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager; on issues concerning clause 1 of the Financial Provisions Bill.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to endorse the clause and to inform the Committee for Finance and Personnel accordingly.
6. Any other business
None.
7. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting will take place in March at a time to be agreed. Members will be advised accordingly.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.57pm.