John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

No. 3A.9 is correspondence, dated 8 February 2013, from Mr. Gerry Murphy, chief executive of the National Transport Authority, providing further information requested at the meeting of 24 January 2013, to be noted and published. No. 3A.10 is correspondence, dated 14 February 2013, from Mr. Tom O'Mahony, Secretary General at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, providing information requested at the meeting of 7 February 2013, to be noted and published. The Accounting Officer has responded promptly to the requests of the committee and I commend him on the information he has provided, as it is needed to examine school transport and free travel, which we will take up at forthcoming meetings. We mentioned that we would meet with the Secretary General again about some of the expenditure that goes to CIE, but in respect of that amount only and not necessarily the overall accounts, because that is a matter for that company. However, we will get the opportunity to examine the allocation to CIE, and that is what we were discussing. That needs to be clarified for the Secretary General. No. 3A.11 is correspondence dated 15 February 2013 from Mr. Frank Ryan, chief executive of Enterprise Ireland, providing information requested at the meeting of 31 January 2013, to be noted and published.

No. 3B. is individual correspondence. No. 3B.1 is correspondence, dated 6 February 2013, from Mr. Tom O'Mahony, Secretary General of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, forwarding a note from CIE regarding the north Kerry railway. This is to be noted and a copy is to be forwarded to Mr. Liam O’Mahony, cathaoirleach, Great Southern Trail. No. 3B.2 is correspondence, dated 6 February 2013, from Mr. Ray Mitchell, parliamentary and regulatory affairs division, Health Service Executive, providing information previously requested regarding disability services. This is to be noted and a copy is to be forwarded to Mrs. Mary Farrell, the original complainant. No. 3B.3 is correspondence, dated 6 February 2013, from Mr. Tony Walsh, private secretary to the chairman, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, providing information previously requested regarding the examination of multinational corporations. This is to be noted and a copy is to be forwarded to Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan. No. 3B.4 is correspondence, dated 7 February 2013, from Mr. John Moran, Secretary General, Department of Finance, providing information previously requested regarding the examination of multinational corporations. This is again to be noted and a copy is to be forwarded to Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan.

No. 3B.5 is correspondence, dated 12 February 2013, from Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills, providing information previously requested regarding the allocation of apprenticeship training in institutes of technology and colleges of further education. This is to be noted and a copy is to be forwarded to Mr. Pat Brady, the original complainant. No. 3B.6 is correspondence, dated 7 February 2013, from Mr. Daniel O'Mahony re the home tuition scheme, to be noted. Mr. O'Mahony is raising policy matters relating to the education of children with autism, which falls outside the remit of the Committee of Public Accounts. On the issue of the €70 million spent on a pilot project, we will ask the Accounting Officer for a note on the pilot project. We had referred previous correspondence to the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection and while there was a delay in doing so this matter has now been addressed.

No. 3B.7 is correspondence, dated 7 February 2013, from Mr. John Fallon re the proposed lease of property on Abbey Street, Ballina. This is to be noted and forwarded to the Department of Education and Skills for a note on the matter. No. 3B.8 is correspondence, dated 15 February 2013, from Mr. Denis Griffin, Department of Justice and Equality, providing a note previously requested by the committee on the Property Services Regulatory Authority. This is to be noted and a copy is to be forwarded to the original complainant. No. 3B.9 is correspondence, dated 23 January 2013, from Ms Marie Therese O’Sullivan re The Warrens wet and dry homeless hostel, Wicklow town. This is to be noted and forwarded to the HSE for a note on the matter. No. 3B.10 is correspondence, dated 24 January 2013, from Mr. Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, re the appearance of the Commission for Aviation Regulation at the committee meeting of 17 January 2013. This is to be noted and I will ask the clerk to check back on the transcript and to follow up as appropriate with the aviation regulator.

No. 3B.11 is correspondence, dated 25 January 2013, from Mr. Gerry Mullins, chief executive, Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland, re the school transport scheme. This is to be noted. We have not finished examining the issue of the school transport scheme as we will have to follow up on issues with the Department of Education and Skills next week. The complainant is to be informed of this and also given a copy of Mr. O'Mahony's letter which was already considered today by the committee. No. 3B.12 is correspondence, dated 29 January 2013, from Mr. Michael Brosnan, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, to be noted. Members will recall that I raised this specific case at our last public meeting because information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act had not been made available to Mr. Farrell in his legal pursuit of his rights against the Department. The case dates back to 1977. It may well be that this case should now be referred to an independent review, but we will ask the Department for a further note on the issues raised in this correspondence. No. 3B.13 is correspondence, dated 4 February 2013, from Deputy Niall Collins re the expansion of bicycle hire scheme. This is to be noted and forwarded to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for a note on the matter raised.

No. 3C is documents relating to today’s committee meeting. Deputy McDonald wished to raise an issue.