Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It strikes me that in addition to the request for information under the 12 headings, we should ask if funding from the Department of Social Protection found its way into Rehab. We have been quoted the figure of €82 million or €83 million but we are clearly missing funding that is coming from another Department.
I know the issue concerning the firm Complete Eco Solutions is on this note. A commitment was given last week to provide the committee with documentation. It is apparent from a story in The Irish Times that the witness, Ms Kerins, was less than forthcoming in some of the information she clearly had in respect of the relationship a close relative of hers had with that organisation. I was the member who raised this issue with Ms Kerins and it is deeply unsatisfactory that the CEO of Rehab was evasive or short on the full detail that she clearly must have had when she appeared before the committee. I hope that when we get a response in respect of this item we get the fullest detailed information from Rehab on Complete Eco Solutions and the coffins.
Another issue that found its way into media which had been raised in passing at the meeting was in respect of the use of a helicopter by the CEO and potentially by other board members. At that stage jets were not mentioned but helicopters were. We did not get a satisfactory account of what was involved. In fairness to the witness, they were not pressed on the issue, nonetheless it seems that substantial hospitality, at the very least, was afforded to members of the board. It is in the public interest and in the interest of our consideration of Rehab that we would have information on that matter. That item is not covered in the 12 headings.

I would like to propose that we raise this in additional correspondence and ask for an explanation about this hospitality and the use of these jets and helicopters.