Minutes of proceedings of the sixteenth meeting
of the Public Accounts Committee
held in Room 152, Parliament Buildings
on Thursday 18^th January 2001

1. Introduction
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of the meetings of 10.01.01
4. Presentation by the C&AG and his staff on the NIAO Reports
5. Evidence Session Format
6. Any Other Business
7. Next Meeting

Present: Mr B Bell (Chairman)
Ms P Armitage
Mr R Beggs
Mr Mervyn Carrick
Mr S Close
Mr D Hilditch
Mr D McClelland
Ms J Morrice
Mr D O'Connor
Ms S Ramsey

In Attendance: Mr M Rickard (Committee Clerk)
Mr J Campbell (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Miss L Tracey

The Chairman commenced proceedings by welcoming Mr. Dowdall, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), and his staff to the meeting. He then proceeded to outline the objectives of the meeting as:

(i) To approve the minutes of our previous meeting

(ii) To be briefed by the C&AG and his staff on the NIAO Reports on Grants to the Irish Sport Horse Genetic Testing Unit Ltd (HC 396) and DARD Suspected Frauds (NIA 6 & NIA 29/00)

(iii) To decide how to handle the Evidence Session on 24^th January 2001 - given that the Committee would be dealing with two different topics.

Following this introduction, the Chairperson turned to the order of business.

2. Apologies

None

3. Minutes of the meetings of 10.01.01

Agreed

The minutes were an accurate record of the previous meetings

4. Presentation by the C&AG and his staff on the NIAO Reports on Grants to the Irish Sport Horse Genetic Testing Unit Ltd (HC 396) and DARD Suspected Frauds (NIA 6 & NIA 29/00) - incorporating a Questions and Answer Session

The C&AG, Mr Ciaran Moore (Assistant Auditor General) and Mr Kieran Donnelly (Director of Financial Audit) briefed the Committee on the Reports. During the presentation they addressed a number of queries raised by the members.

5. Evidence Session Format

Agreed

That the session should be broken down into two sections. The first section will focus in on the Report on Grants to the Irish Sport Horse Genetic Testing Unit Ltd (HC 396). The Chairman and six members will question the Accounting Officer on this Report.

The second part of the hearing will be based upon the DARD Suspected Frauds (NIA 6 & NIA 29/00). The Chairman and the four remaining members will put the questions to the Accounting Officer.

Following the questions on the DARD Suspected Frauds, members will have the opportunity to follow up on responses given on all the Reports taken during the session.

6. Any Other Business

Visit to Dublin

The Clerk reported that arrangements were being finalised for the Committee's visit to Dublin on 31^st January - returning on 1^st February 2001. The plans are to travel to Dublin on the 4.10 pm Enterprise from Central Station, attend a dinner that evening with members from the PAC in Dublin, overnight stay in Jury's Ballsbridge Hotel, attend a PAC hearing at 11.00am on 1st February, host a lunch for PAC (RoI) and return to Belfast on the 4.50 pm Enterprise.

Full details of the itinerary will be circulated to members shortly.

Information Pack

The Clerk drew to the attention of members the information pack which had been issued to members in order to update them on issues relevant to the Committee.

Government Resources and Accounts Bill

Mr Dowdall was invited to update the Committee on the progress made on PAC's proposed amendment to the GRAB Bill. He informed the Committee that as a result of proposals put forward by PAC, the Audit Committee and DFP Committee, DFP had agreed to amendments in the draft bill.

Subject to approval by the Assembly, DFP has agreed to extend the rights of inspection of the C&AG to bodies undertaking functions of a public nature or substantially funded from public money. DFP also agreed to facilitate inspection of other bodies receiving public funds by making an Order where necessary. An undertaking was also given to review the C&AG's remit in the forthcoming Audit Reorganisation Bill.

7. Next Meeting

The next meeting is to held at 10.20am on Wednesday 24^th January in the Senate Chamber Room 152 Parliament Buildings for an Evidence Session on Grants to the Irish Sport Horse Genetic Testing Unit Ltd (HC 396) and DARD Suspected Frauds (NIA 6 & NIA 29/00)

The meeting was then drawn to a close at 1:05pm

William B Bell
Committee Chairman
14 February 2001