Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Our role as the Committee of Public Accounts is to ensure that the taxpayer is getting proper value for money. Section 38 agencies do very good work. I am looking at it from the perspective of the end user in terms of hospitals and the various agencies and disabilities. Side by side with that, there are difficulties with pay scales for people working in these organisations, particularly at the higher end. People are fund raising up and down the country for these agencies and they are looking for this money to go to front-line services. The HSE has written to the various organisations. From Mr. O'Brien's presentation, I can see that the HSE has written to them nine times on this issue between March 2011 and 22 November 2013, which seems a ridiculous length of time to have to write to these bodies. Why is this the case?

The report indicates that seven agencies have confirmed compliance and the audit did not identify any issues in respect of them. A further seven have confirmed compliance but the audit report indicated that further verification is required. Another 15 agencies confirmed compliance but later indicated exceptions to pay policy. One agency confirmed compliance but sought approval for a non-standard allowance. Non-compliance was confirmed in other cases by letters and issues were identified in audit that no approval was sought for deviations from pay policy. One agency did not respond. This means 36 of the 43 do not appear to be in compliance. Does Mr. O'Brien believe the Government's guidelines on pay policy are being abused by these 36 agencies and can he quantify the amount of money involved?