The Local Government Audit report of Dublin City Council for the year ended 31st December 2011 was presented at the monthly meeting of Dublin City Council in City Hall last night. The Statutory Audit report “is an external commentary on financial management and financial prudence within Dublin City Council.” The report is extremely critical of Dublin City Councils financial mis-management of the Poolbeg Waste to Energy Project.

The Audit report identifies a number of issues with the financial mis-management of the Poolbeg Waste to Energy Project that are extremely serious. To date more than €80million has been spent on the project and the report is highly critical of the financial mis-management of these public funds. It states that the financial management of the project was weak and calls for more comprehensive oversight in monitoring and controlling expenditure and says the financial control procedures were not adequate. It states that one element of the project that should have cost €8.3m actually cost €28.4m. It seriously questions Dublin City Councils competence to manage the project.

These serious criticisms are included in the appendix, they should have been included in the body of the report.

The report requires a serious response from the elected representatives. All spending on the project should be immediately stopped. The Fianna Fail group has called for an immediate freeze on all spending in relation to the project and an independent review of the issues raised in the auditor’s report.  Mary