New laws proposed to make county managers accountable to PAC for use of taxpayers' money

The Government is working on new laws to make city and county managers accountable to the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee for their use of taxpayers' money, according to reports in the Sunday Times over the weekend. 

Patrick O'Donovan, the junior minister for public expenditure and reform, is preparing a proposal to remove an exemption for local authorities from the scrutiny of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the State spending watchdog that prepares value for money reports used by PAC. 

The heads of Government, State agencies and security, defence and health authorities are routinely brought before the PAC to account for their decisions. 

However, local authority management is immune. 

The proposal will require legislation to amalgamate the local government audit service with the C&AG, or allow it to access Council accounts.