Inland Fisheries Ireland governance
Deputy Kenny alleges that false insurance documents and withheld information concealed serious governance failures at Inland Fisheries Ireland, and asks whether senior officials should resign. The Minister says the matter is under Government consideration and warrants rigorous examination.
Last November, Inland Fisheries Ireland appeared before the Committee of Public Accounts. On Friday, members of the committee received a 137-page document from Inland Fisheries Ireland answering queries raised at the meeting. At the meeting, I raised a very serious matter regarding August of 2021. A staff member of Inland Fisheries Ireland was involved in a car crash while driving an IFI car. He produced insurance documentation for the gardaí that he received from the IFI executive. This documentation was false, which the IFI knew officially on 16 November 2021. He was not told for more than a year and An Garda Síochána was not informed until it came asking two years later. The former Minister, Eamon Ryan, commissioned a report into this which was presented to the board of the IFI and the audit and risk committee in February 2025. I asked at the Committee of Public Accounts whether the acting CEO and head of finance were aware of the report. They both denied ever seeing the report. I have the minutes of the meeting from February 2025 right here with me. Both officials were at this meeting.
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I believe both officials misled the constitutional committee and members of the public. I want to know whether this has been brought to Cabinet-----
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-----and if the Minister believes the deputy CEO and head of finance should step down.
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I thank Deputy Kenny for his question. I am not aware of the full details he has outlined. I am aware it is an issue that is being considered by Government. I am conscious that what the Deputy said happened did happen at the Committee of Public Accounts when there was an examination of the report. The report provides a detailed assessment of governance and control weaknesses within the IFI over the period 2019 to 2023.
The Government believes that the C and AG findings are entirely unacceptable and it is appropriate that the IFI is subject to rigorous examination on these matters. I cannot answer the specific issue the Deputy raised about a driving licence in respect of an individual but I will raise it with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Timmy Dooley, who has responsibility in this area.