The Chief Executive of Kerry County Council says there’s huge oversight and strong governance structures in place within the local authority.
Council CEO Moira Murrell was responding to independent councillor Niall Botty O’Callaghan.
He asked if there were any outstanding issues following the RTÉ Investigates programme Council Chamber Secrets, which examined how local authorities function and operate.
The Council Chamber Secrets programme found Kerry County Council wrongly claiming grant funding from the Department of Agriculture for building works at Fenit Harbour that hadn’t started or been completed.
The council stated work was delayed due to difficulties sourcing materials; Kerry County Council says the issues have since been addressed.
Ms Murrell stated there’s been a €2.3 billion turnaround in council funding over the last five years; she says in recent years, 10 separate audits of the council have taken place from the various departments that fund them.
She also referenced rigorous checks done by budget holders and staff, as well the work of Kerry County Council’s own compliance unit.
Ms Murrell also outlined the council’s strong performance in the recent National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) report and the fact the Local Government Audit Report comes before councillors each year.
