Mr Seán Ó Foghlú:

The primary responsibility rests with the institute, the senior management and with the governance structures. Clearly, we are collectively very disappointed that those structures did not operate correctly. That is a clear message to us that we need to ensure the senior management and the governance are aware of their responsibilities and that we update their responsibilities appropriately. That is the first clear message.

In terms of discussing the Chairman's precise question to Mr. Boland on whether the HEA could have done something, could I apply that to the Department, because I think it is appropriate that I do so? We would have had responsibility for funding WIT directly until it was transferred to the HEA. We obviously funded the HEA to fund Waterford Institute of Technology subsequently. As I said earlier, we had an engagement with the institute about the companies in the late 1990s and early part of the last decade. The institute satisfied us in relation to some aspects but we did not follow through sufficiently about others, and I put that on record. I am disappointed that we did not follow through more thoroughly with them. At the same time, they were completing their accounts and continuing on and there were no issues arising.

I think issues would have arisen, without the freedom of information requests, with the conclusion of the term of the previous president. Quite clearly there was a set of arrangements in the institute around expenses which were particular to the development of the office in his time, which were not there prior to that. The turnover in the senior management and the turnover in the governing authority would probably have given rise to knowledge about the issues if the freedom of information issues had not arisen. We welcome the fact that the issues arising from the freedom of information did arise. We take the matters very seriously and we have put a great deal of thought into updating the arrangements. As the Chairman said, and I do not disagree with him, the implementation of all these systems rely on individuals to implement them. It is a matter for individuals in each of their different positions, whether they are in senior management, on the government body or the internal audit committee, to ensure they perform their roles appropriately. Systems are operated by individuals. We have to ensure this happens.