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

Yes. We will proceed. I proceed to correspondence received since our meeting on 18 September 2014. 3B.1, correspondence, dated 3 September 2014, from the Acting Commissioner of the Garda Síochána regarding reply to query on outsourcing of speed cameras, to be noted and a copy forwarded to Deputy Niall Collins who worked with the committee on that issue.

3B.2, correspondence, dated 23 July 2014 from Mr. Gerry Naughton regarding Ward of Court Service and Revenue Commissioners, to be noted. Both the Revenue Commissioners and the High Court are unlikely to deal with the Committee of Public Accounts on individual cases. However, the issues raised by Mr. Naughton point to systemic failures on the part of both the Wards of Court and the Revenue. The matter to be referred to both the Courts Service and Revenue to follow up as appropriate and also to send the committee a note on the issues involved. The committee will examine the issue of the protection of Wards of Court when the Court Service is before us in November.

3B.3, correspondence, dated 13 September 2014 from Eleanor Leahy re issues with the HSE, to be noted. We will have to get more details from Ms Leahy in order to follow up on the matter with the HSE. I ask the clerk to contact her and obtain the documentation of which she speaks.

3B.4, correspondence, dated 17 September 2014 from the HSE re St. Michael's House, to be noted. 3B.5, correspondence, received from various sources re Tipperary Hostel Project, to be noted. We can defer this to next week so that the clerk can prepare a note on the issues relating to State expenditure at this Tipperary hostel. This is an issue we have raised with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. There is a serious issue here as taxpayers' money, in excess of €4 million, was spent on the refurbishment of that building, one part of which lies unfinished while the other part is finished but going into a state of disrepair. It is a waste of money in terms of doing the work and then leaving it. The clerk will follow it up. There is a need for a more constructive response from the Departments involved in order to get to the end of the problem. We have to continue to remind them of this. I ask the clerk to get the note.