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

Deputy Murphy raised the matter of the DDDA. We will request that all of the outstanding information requested from the DDDA be sought, if there is any outstanding matter, and we will make it clear to Professor Brennan with regard to her evidence that we require that the date be set sooner than August. The committee is busy and I understand that she is busy, but if we must sit on a day other than Thursday, agreed between both parties, members will agree to do so. We must conclude our evidence on the DDDA and we must provide a report to the Houses of the Oireachtas. We will ask Professor Brennan to co-operate fully with that by arranging a hearing at the earliest possible date. Are any other matters arising? No.

I will move on to correspondence received since the meeting on Thursday, 6 February 2014. Item 3A is correspondence from Accounting Officers and Ministers. We have correspondence from Mr. Paul O’Toole, CEO of SOLAS, which concerns the Rehab Group. Item 3A.2 is correspondence received from Mr. John Tierney, managing director of Irish Water, regarding issues raised at our meeting.

This is to be noted and published. The previous correspondence is also to be noted and published. Item 3A.3 is correspondence dated 7 February 2014 from Ms Geraldine Tallon, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, regarding a reply to issues raised at our meeting on 15 January 2014.

I refer to Mr. O'Toole's correspondence on SOLAS. The appropriate protection being given to whistleblowers in what was FÁS was raised here before and I refer, in particular, to Ms Una Halliday, who is under investigation by that organisation. I ask that she is given the appropriate protection within the spirit of the legislation and that her health conditions are recognised in the meetings being held currently. What is happening to her is outrageous and I ask that this is made known to Mr. O'Toole.

In regard to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Murphy raised the issue of Poolbeg, which now stands at €108 million. I ask that we request from Ms Tallon, which we did before, a detailed statement in regard to accountability for that money, how it is to be accounted for and the state of the audit on and detail of that spend. Ms Tallon was questioned on this at a meeting here and there are issues in regard to that money. I would like it to be explained to the committee members, so that we are fully briefed on the matter. I would also like the audit arrangements in that regard to be outlined. If there is a report on it to date, I ask that report is made available to the committee members.