Mr. Brendan Gleeson:

First, there is a legal basis for the establishment of these bodies. The Department had a role in establishing that legal basis in the Oireachtas back in 2016. They have a chairman and a board. They all have fiduciary duties to the organisation and statutory functions. That is the first point. Second, we made them accountable to the Comptroller and Auditor General at that time. I do not think they had been prior to that. Third, we have a parameters letter that says, with very broad limitations, how they can spend the money they are given. There is also a letter of shareholder expectation that articulates details about the governance, what their obligations are as a board and the role of the chairman. If dividends to the State are to be considered, there is a policy around that. Fourth, we have a process regarding when they look for money. We look for cash flow statements and we want to be sure that they need the funding they are given when we give it to them. Finally, we have governance meetings with them on a reasonably regular basis. There is an Assistant Secretary who is in charge of that sector who meets with these bodies regularly. I try to meet with them at least once a year.