Prevention and tackling of fraud and financial misconduct

In the private sector it is estimated that fraud and financial misconduct accounts for approximately 5% of turnover. Evidence from the UK suggests that similar levels of fraud impact on the public sector there. The most basic tenet of financial management in the public sector is that all funds should be properly accounted for and not mismanaged or misappropriated.

In these more difficult economic times, it is particularly vital that public funds are not the subject of fraud or misappropriation – funds allocated for specific purposes should not be converted to private use or misappropriated. Equally, processes for the procurement of services and goods should be robust and deliver Value for Money for public bodies.

It is also important that financial reporting should be accurate and not mislead as to the true financial position of an organisation. Deliberate misreporting of financial information can be extremely harmful for a public sector organisation – accuracy is critical.

This is an area fraught with danger for any organisations as legal issues arise including;

·         Data Protection – rights to monitor employees activities

·         Defamation – levelling accusations

·         Criminal law – involving the Gardaí

·         Employment/HR – concerns about disciplinary and investigative processes

·         Reputation management – issues of media coverage and intrusion

What you will learn:

·         The public policy context

·         How to identify fraud and financial misconduct in the public sector workplace

·         Responding to fraud – what to do when you discover it

·         The role of An Garda Siochána in tackling workplace fraud

·         Legal issues arising on tackling fraud

·         Fraud prevention – best practice and practical tips

Speakers on this full-day seminar all have significant experience of working with the public sector and will include experts on fraud risk management, forensic accounting, legal practitioners working within the area of financial misconduct and a guest speaker from the public sector.