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

I would like to discuss a lot more questions but the witnesses have been answering questions all morning. I suggest the way to deal with those questions would be for the committee to forward to Mr. Meaney the questions that have been raised with us and which have not been answered today and that Bord na gCon would then submit to the committee a comprehensive response to each of the questions.

Some questions have been raised in the media and have been left unanswered and questions have been asked by the people who were critical of both witnesses. I suggest the witnesses should reply to those criticisms. It would help us to understand the situation and would provide us with a greater understanding of Limerick and the other tracks and other issues of concern with regard to Bord na gCon. It would allow the witnesses to clarify matters and put them before the Committee of Public Accounts.

I propose to arrange for that and I would appreciate if the witnesses would address the questions as comprehensively and in as timely a manner as possible. I ask that they forward a copy to the Comptroller and Auditor General because we are anxious to get to the end of it. There is much more we could talk about at this meeting today with regard to those reports. Perhaps the best way to conclude is to give the witnesses that opportunity.

I have a question for Mr. Ryan from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. What was the oversight role of the Department with regard to the affairs of Bord na gCon? I note in one reply from the Secretary General he refers everything back to the board which is a bit annoying for members of this committee. He refers to matters being management issues on which the Department cannot comment. If the Department is giving Bord na gCon between €11 million and €15 million as it was doing over the years, it should have its finger on the pulse so as to know what is going on in Bord na gCon. What is Mr. Ryan's view on what he has heard today?