Assembly Committee Agrees Governance Arrangements With Northern Ireland Audit Office
27 Mar 2014 12:22 PM
The Audit Committee
yesterday agreed with the Comptroller & Auditor General aMemorandum of
Understanding on corporate governance arrangements, transparency and
accountability at the Northern Ireland Audit Office
(NIAO).
The Memorandum builds on the
existing governance and transparency arrangements in the NIAO, recognising that
while the Comptroller & Auditor General and the NIAO are independent of
government they should maintain systems of governance and internal controls
consistent with best practice. It also underlines that where appropriate they
should be accountable and subject to Assembly oversight.
Audit Committee Chairperson,
Danny Kinahan MLA, said “The Committee is pleased to agree this
Memorandum which underlines the importance of transparency and the need to
ensure the effective management of public funds. We believe that, crucially,
this agreement will provide the Assembly and the general public with increased
confidence in the governance and accountability of the
NIAO”.
The Comptroller and Auditor
General, Mr Kieran Donnelly, said “The NIAO is
committed to adhering to the highest standards of corporate governance and
accountability. This new Memorandum with the Assembly’s Audit
Committee underpins our commitment to openness and to promoting and securing
value for money in our use of public funds”.
Notes to
Editors:
The new Memorandum of
Understanding is available on the Northern Ireland Assembly website via the
following link http://nia1.me/1z4
Committee
Membership:
Danny Kinahan MLA
(Chairperson)
David Hilditch MLA (Deputy
Chairperson)
Michaela Boyle
MLA
Dominic Bradley
MLA
Anna Lo MLA