Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2024
137. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the timeframe in which the recommendations of the Comptroller & Auditor General’s 2014 report on stock management in the Defence Forces will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28163/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2022, the C&AG commenced an examination of stocks held by the Defence Forces to assess the adequacy of the controls in place to manage, value and correctly account for that stock, with a particular focus on the implementation of the 2014 Dunning report recommendations. Following on from that examination, the Comptroller & Auditor General’s (C&AG) report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022, published in September 2023, included a chapter on stock management in the Defence Forces.
The C&AG report included six recommendations, as follows –
The full implementation of the remaining Dunning report recommendations should be actioned in a timely manner. An implementation plan with delivery targets and milestones should be put in place. [Note: At the time of the C&AG Report in September 2023, 21 of the 27 Dunning recommendations had been fully implemented, with significant work undertaken on the other six. Since then, a further 3 recommendations have been finalised and the remaining 3 are comprehended by recommendations 2, 3 and 4 below.]
The Department should carry out an evaluation of the current data cleansing and codification process, including the classification of assets to identify the factors giving rise to ongoing misclassification; and update the related guidance to ensure that stock and assets are correctly classified in future and that stock issued for use is removed from store account records accordingly.
Periodic (e.g. annual) reviews should be undertaken to ensure that the policy requirements are being actioned as intended and to ensure that all elements of the policy continue to suit the current and future needs of the Defence Forces.
The recommendations arising from the review of the stores set-up should be actioned on a timely basis. Also, the need to maintain a large number of low value store accounts should be assessed periodically.
A more widespread review of the stores should be undertaken to establish the underlying factors impacting the timely, physical disposal of all stock items and an action plan put in place to address the factors identified.
An additional control should be introduced, whereby the disposal of sensitive military items is formally certified on a timely basis by members of the relevant Board of Survey before these items are written off the stock management system. The disposal regulations should be updated to reflect these requirements.
A Working Group, including members of the Department and the Defence Forces, has been set up to oversee implementation of these recommendations, with significant work already completed. Full implementation of recommendations 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 is expected by the end of 2024. Implementation of recommendation 4, i.e. changing the stores set-up, will be actioned after the completion of the review of the structure of the Defence Forces recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces. A timeframe for the completion of that review is currently not available.
