Seán Ó Foghlú:

I understand I will be invited back to speak about public sector allowances in the near future and I look forward to that engagement. We are clearly operating in a challenging environment in terms of public sector expenditure on staffing. In that context, universities have been raising certain issues with us in recent years but, equally, concerns have been expressed about universities making payments they were not entitled to make. These matters were examined in reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General and have been considered in this committee. We have addressed the issues arising and earlier this week the Minister for Education and Skills published a draft Bill to ensure that where a university is making a payment beyond the amount authorised the Minister may order an investigation and make directions.