INLAND FISHERIES IRELAND is set to appear before the Public Accounts Committee next week over its annual report for 2021.

Vice-chair of the committee Catherine Murphy said there are “more than a dozen issues of concern” outlined in the documents.

The Public Accounts Committee held two high-profile hearings this week with representatives of RTÉ and the Horse Racing Regulatory Board. 

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a state agency responsible for protecting, developing and managing Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources

Murphy, a Social Democrats TD, said the recent report “sets out matters relating to property mismanagement; shortcomings in relation to the use of Dormant Accounts funding; problems with the acquisition of fleet and the uninsured driving of leased vehicles; as well as potential fraud, which has been referred to An Garda Síochána for investigation”.

“These days, with unacceptable frequency, we are being presented with reports demonstrating weak internal controls, failures to investigate disclosures and poor corporate governance within public bodies,” Murphy said.

“What we are looking at here appears to be a collapse in governance, an abandonment of responsibility and a dysfunctional corporate and working culture within Inland Fisheries Ireland.

“After long delays in having the 2021 accounts presented to us, the report will come under scrutiny on 6 July when representatives of IFI appear before the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee.

“There must be no obfuscation by Inland Fisheries Ireland in our attempts to get to the heart of the issues of concern identified.”

In a statement to The Journal, a spokesperson for the state agency said: “Inland Fisheries Ireland looks forward to engaging with members of the PAC next week, and we welcome the opportunity to do so.”