Marlay Park wall costs spark calls for spending reform

Sinn Féin TD John Brady has renewed calls for greater scrutiny of public spending following reports that €660,000 of public money was spent by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on the restoration of a wall in Marlay Park.

The Wicklow TD, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), said the latest controversy highlighted the need to strengthen the powers of both the committee and the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) to improve oversight of how taxpayers’ money is spent.

Deputy Brady said recent controversies involving public expenditure had raised serious concerns about accountability and value for money.

“Households, workers and families have been rightly outraged by the countless recent examples of wasteful spending of taxpayers’ money.

“Whether it be financial scandals at RTÉ, runaway ICT costs, security huts, bike shelters, the recent revelation that €660,000 has been spent on a wall in Marlay Park, the scrapped €50 million Irish Rail project, or massive pay increases for the CEOs of commercial semi-state bodies, the list goes on and on.

“These examples leave the public asking how such expenditure can be justified and why there is so little effective oversight of how taxpayers’ money is spent.”

The Sinn Féin TD said the current statutory framework governing the Comptroller and Auditor General was outdated and prevented the Public Accounts Committee from carrying out full scrutiny of public expenditure.

He argued that local authorities, despite receiving billions of euro in public funding each year, remain outside the audit remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

“Our statutory framework for the C&AG is outdated and inhibits the ability of the PAC to fully play its role as watchdog on public spending.

“This is demonstrated by the fact that local authorities, funded to the tune of billions of euros every year, are outside of the scope of the C&AG.

“That’s billions of public money, with no effective oversight.”

Deputy Brady also said the issue was compounded by local authorities providing funding to Approved Housing Bodies, which he argued placed public money further beyond independent scrutiny.

As Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, he said he had initiated a formal review of the committee’s remit aimed at expanding its powers and introducing what he described as a “follow the money” approach to oversight.

According to Deputy Brady, a dedicated working group has been established to examine international best practice and consider how other jurisdictions ensure all public expenditure is subject to effective scrutiny.

He also criticised the current arrangements under which some publicly funded organisations appear before the Public Accounts Committee on a voluntary basis because they fall outside its statutory remit.

“We have seen this recently with organisations such as the Peter McVerry Trust and in relation to an upcoming meeting with Irish Rail to deal with the scrapped €50 million Traffic Management System.

“This is completely unsatisfactory.”

Deputy Brady said the Government should implement the recommendations of the External Peer Review, which have been awaiting action since 2020.

“All bodies in receipt of public funds, including local authorities and commercial semi-state entities, should fall fully under the audit remit of the C&AG, and in turn the scrutiny of the PAC.

“There should be no gaps in accountability where significant amounts of taxpayers’ money is at stake.

“Reform is urgently needed if we are to more effectively hold those in receipt of public money to account, ensure value for money for taxpayers, and restore public confidence in the management of the public finances.”