<p>
	The cost of legal representatives for children in family law cases and the sale of the government jet will be among the issues to be probed by the D&aacute;il&#39;s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the coming weeks.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	TDs will also look into staff costs in the prison service.</p>
<p>
	While the committee has been focused on examining Project Eagle, the sale of Nama&#39;s Northern loan book, in recent months, it is moving onto other matters this week with a meeting on the Guardian ad Litem service.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	PAC chairman Se&aacute;n Fleming said the system of court-appointed guardians comes at a &quot;substantial cost to the State&quot;.</p>
<p>
	The committee meeting comes after the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&amp;AG) published a chapter on the Guardian ad Litem service in its 2015 report.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The C&amp;AG found that fees for the guardians - that represent children&#39;s interests in court cases - are higher than hourly rates in other jurisdictions.</p>
<p>
	The overall cost of the service was &euro;9.1m in 2015, the C&amp;AG found.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	It&#39;s been reported that Children Minister Katherine Zappone plans to overhaul the system.</p>
<p>
	Officials from her department are due to appear before the PAC on Thursday.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Mr Fleming said the PAC will also look into the sale of the government jet at a meeting in the coming weeks.</p>
<p>
	A report by the C&amp;AG found that Gulfstream IV jet - which used to ferry ministers to meetings abroad - was sold for &euro;350,000 less than it was worth.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The aircraft was sold in 2015 for &euro;418,000 with the government taking the decision to sell due to escalating repair costs, the report said.</p>
<p>
	Mr Fleming said TDs will examine if the best option for disposing of the jet was taken or whether other alternatives could have bee used.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The PAC will also probe annualised hours in the Irish Prison Service.</p>
<p>
	The system replacing overtime was introduced in 2005 but the C&amp;AG found that savings have fallen short of what was expected.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The C&amp;AG published a report on the matter last summer.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by the Irish Independent on the 16th January 2017)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/cost-of-legal-guardians-for-children-to-be-probed-by-the-pac-35370051.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/cost-of-legal-guardians-for-children-to-be-probed-by-the-pac-35370051.html</a></p>
