Mr. Brendan Gleeson:

In this head, we have stronger control for the Minister and protection for the taxpayer. At present the Minister pays money by instalment to HRI. It is not clear from the existing legislation that the Minister can actually refuse to pay instalments. This head provides for more control over the issue of funding to HRI. It provides for a number of circumstances in which the Minister can withhold instalments or parts of instalments to HRI, and in fact, Bord na gCon, in instances where the Minister is not satisfied with the strategic plans of those bodies or he feels they are deficient or unreasonable, where they are deficient in the implementation of plans, where he has requested information from the bodies and they have not given it to him or where they fail to comply with a direction.

It is a sensible provision, but it is not indicative of any particular problem. There is no provision in the current legislation and it is a provision that should be there. It is filling a lacunae in the current legislation. It is stronger control for taxpayer's money.