Forensic Accountant to be appointed to examine projected NI Water overspend
Date published:
The Department for Infrastructure is to engage forensic accountancy services to investigate the reasons why NI Water has been unable to live within its resource budget allocation this year.
The decision to start the process of appointing a forensic accountant, which was announced today by Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins in an Oral Statement to the Assembly, comes after NI Water informed the Department that it is forecasting an overspend for this financial year.
Speaking in the Assembly, Minister Kimmins said:
“Protecting public funds is of the utmost importance, particularly in light of the wider pressures faced not only in my own Department, but across all areas of public services.
“Difficult decisions are having to be made across all Departments and Arm’s Length Bodies and therefore it is essential that I fully understand the budgetary management decisions that the Board of NI Water has taken this year that have led to this disappointing outcome.
“My decision to appoint a forensic accountant is a necessary step, that takes a measured approach, to help us work in partnership with NI Water and enable better planning going forward in these times of constrained budgets.”
Notes to editors:
- NI Water has received a total of £152m resource this financial year. This was an opening resource budget allocation of £137m, representing almost one quarter of the total resource allocation available to the Department. An additional £11.5million resource was secured for NI Water in- year. In addition, £2.9million was also provided to deal with the aftermath of Storm Eowyn.
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