Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I apologise. Obviously it was dealt with before I arrived. I wish to ask about two of the non-compliant organisations. I realise because they are non-compliant the witnesses may not be able to give me much in the way of answers.

I wish to express an interest because I am on a leave of absence from a school under the patronage of the Central Remedial Clinic. I wish to ask about this organisation and about Our Lady's Hospice in Harold's Cross. I find this issue very difficult because I worked in the school I mentioned for more than ten years. I loved working there and I worked with great staff. It is a matter of great distress for me, and for others I know who work there, that the recently retired CEO was receiving top-up payments. The witnesses may not be able to answer questions regarding from where the money came given it is on the non-compliant list. I understand top-up payments were made to others and I do not know whether the witnesses can speak about these. Like other committee members I wonder if the witnesses have established whether the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act guidelines were fully operational there.

This matter distresses me, as I am aware of certain people who lost their jobs because of cutbacks and of children who desperately need to swim but who are no longer able to do so because of a cutback at their school. It is difficult to tally their situations with these serious top-up payments. Can the witnesses throw light on this matter? If not, I assume this is the information they are trying to get from the organisation. Will they ask whether the top-ups will apply to the new CEO of the Central Remedial Clinic, CRC? Is he the same person who used to be the CEO of the Mater hospital? If so, it is an interesting coincidence, as the CRC's previous CEO also came from the Mater hospital.

Other Deputies have raised this issue, but from where did the top-up money come, who authorised it and what sanctions will the witnesses be able to put in place? If possible, I will revert to the issue of Our Lady's Hospice once these questions have been answered.