Dept of Finance chief: No witch-hunts for honest mistakes

The Secretary General of the Department of Finance has said he needs to create a system where recriminations and witch-hunts are not the consequences of honest mistakes.

John Moran was today answering questions before the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over a €3.6bn accounting error uncovered last year.

Mr Moran told the PAC that more resources will have to be assigned so that key issues are not the responsibility of one person, and are double-checked.

He also said that it needs to be OK for people to acknowledge making an honest mistake.

"It is also important that we work together to foster a culture across the system, where people are not afraid to admit to having made a mistake," he said.

"Mistakes get worse when hidden - not better.

"We need to assure people that recriminations - or witch-hunts - will not be the reward for admitting honest mistakes," he added.