NAO flags irregularities in financial assistance to voluntary groups

The auditor general has flagged a number of irregularities in the financial assistance given to voluntary organisations, with approval for payments totalling €12,300 “not evident”. In its annual report on the public finances audit for 2016, the National Audit Office said 15 groups received €59,300 in assistance. Eight payments totalling €12,300 were handed out with no trail showing they had been “duly approved”. Approval for such funds is granted by the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties. The NAO pointed out that despite rules of procedure stating that a pre-financing of 80 per cent of the approved amount is to be granted, 14 of the 15 sampled entities received 100 per cent in one instalment.  The remaining group received 90 per cent of the approved amount. The auditors said that despite a requisite outlined in the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme (VOPS), receipts were not submitted by 13 out of the 14 beneficiaries who received the 100 per cent funding. “This weakens the necessary controls in confirming that funding was used for what it was ultimately requested,” the auditors stated in the report. Furthermore, in eight out of the nine...