The Tánaiste has published an audit report into the misappropriation of Irish Aid funds to Uganda.

€4 million of funds from Ireland were discovered to be missing last month after they were sent to the office of the Ugandan Prime Minister.

The audit published today was carried out by a team from the Department of Foreign Affairs and examined how the funds came to be diverted.

The money is believed to have been re-directed by officials in the Office of the Prime Minister.

The report says the fraud was very sophisticated and well-thought-out.

It says it involved a high-level of collusion at a senior level and that the level of collusion was exceptional to the point that it could not reasonably have been anticipated.

Eamon Gilmore says he is committed to implementing the recommendations of the report.

Controls could have been stronger

"I have already suspended funding of Irish Aid programmes delivered through the Government of Uganda - a total of €16 million this year" he said.

"This suspension will remain in place until such time as the €4 million is refunded to us and we are fully confident that the Government of Uganda has strengthened its internal financial controls and acted against all officials who were implicated in this fraud by the Auditor-General".

Mr. Gilmore also says that the report points to a number of areas where Irish Aid systems of control of the Programme could have been stronger. 

"I have instructed my officials to undertake a review of all management, monitoring and control systems across our bilateral programmes to ensure that risks are being appropriately identified and managed. Every possible measure to minimise the risk of future fraud will be put in place" he added.