Westmeath VEC head critical of report's release

THE chairman of Co Westmeath VEC, Mr Henry Abbott, condemned the manner in which a report critical of the committee's operations was released earlier this week.

Mr Abbott said he had to travel to Dublin and invoke privileges available to him as a former TD to be allowed to see the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which has been lodged in the Dail library.

"I deplore the fact that the report has not been made available to me or to members of the VEC. I hope this does not signal the future handling by the authorities of this case in a manner which is unfair or lacking in good faith."

The report, an audit of the VEC's finances for the year ending December 31st, 1994, pointed to evidence of financial irregularities, over staffing, poor judgment and a disregard by the VEC for instructions from the Department of Education.

It put the deficit at the end of December 1994 at £740,000 and said the VEC had acted outside its powers in acquiring a premises in France.

Mr Abbott yesterday welcomed the report "in so far as it confirms the thrust of my complaint about the lack of proper financial control in the VEC". He claimed the Minister for Education could have saved the taxpayer "much resources" and avoided prolonged uncertainty if she had obtained an audit more quickly.

Mr Abbott said he welcomed the fact that the audit bad "in no circumstances" referred to any malpractice by members of the committee or its chairman. "Such improvements of the VEC as have occurred have been on my initiative and that of the members."

A special meeting of the VEC to discuss the CAG's report is to be held shortly.