Alliance calls for root and branch restructure

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 7th Jul 2005

The Alliance Party has called for a root and branch restructuring of Government Departments here following their damning indictment in a report presented by the Auditor General John Dowdall.

Party spokesman Cllr Tom Campbell said: "Following the dismal findings on Government Departments on environment there is further proof if proof were needed that Government has become unaccountable and unable to manage its services and finances. It is shocking that the Departments involved have so poorly handled their affairs that the Auditor General was again "unable to form an opinion" on their financial statements because of mismanagement and negligence. I note from the report that the estimated losses for the Department of Social Development alone come to a staggering £112.3 million. Although some of this is said to have arisen as the result of fraudulent claiming of benefits what is very alarming is the fact that administrative errors by officials play such a big part in this loss to the taxpayer."

"If these losses were to have occurred in the private sector it would not be an exaggeration to say that employees particularly in management would be sacked. The impression gained from this report is that such losses can occur without sanction because it is the public sector. The lack of local accountability is again evident when such scandalous losses can be seen as yesterdays news. What we need now are radical new management structures and procedures to ensure that losses of this scale do not recur. Nothing less than a root and branch restructuring is acceptable."

ENDS

NOTES

The report can be found at:

http://www.niauditoffice.gov.uk/pubs/onepress.asp?arc=False&id=160&dm=0&dy=0

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