Comptroller and Auditor General and Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Special Provisions) Act, 1998

Directions, etc., of High Court.

14.—(1) The Comptroller may whenever he or she thinks it appropriate or expedient to do so apply to the High Court for directions in relation to the performance of any of his or her functions under this Act or those of an auditor appointed under section 2 or for its approval of any act or omission proposed to be done or made by the Comptroller or the auditor for the purposes of such performance.

(2) On such an application as aforesaid, the High Court may—

(a) give such directions (including a direction that the Comptroller, should make a report and, if that Court considers it appropriate, an interim report to it at or before such times as it may specify in relation to the matter the subject of the application or any related matter),

(b) make any order that it considers appropriate,

(c) refuse to approve of any such act or omission as aforesaid.

(3) The Comptroller and an auditor appointed under section 2 shall comply with a direction or order of the High Court under this section and shall not do any such act as aforesaid or make any such omission as aforesaid if the High Court has refused to approve of it.

(4) The High Court may, on application to it in that behalf by the Comptroller, specify terms and conditions upon and subject to which an auditor appointed under section 2 shall perform his or her functions under this Act, and those terms and conditions may be in addition to or instead of any determined or that may be determined by the Comptroller under section 2 (1), and the auditor shall comply with any terms or conditions specified under this subsection.

(5) The High court shall give such priority as it reasonably can having regard to all the circumstances to the disposal of proceedings in that Court under this Act or the Act of 1997.

(6) The Superior Courts Rules Committee may make rules to facilitate the giving of effect to subsection (5).