Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will deal with an issue that has come up but which has not been raised today. It is the issue of wards of courts in terms of the Office of the Accountant of the Courts of Justice, although I would say it was more within Mr. Quigley's domain. Members of the committee have on and off received written correspondence on the issue, about which I have a couple of questions. The office is independent in the way it functions and has its own investment committee. Funds in the order of €1.3 billion at the end of 2013 were involved. Funds are audited independently; the Comptroller and Auditor General does not have a role. The question that arises is whether Mr. Quigley is satisfied with the management strategy for investments and that the funds have been properly benchmarked in terms of performance. He might put the matter in context.

Awards have been made to persons who are wards of court. In some cases, relatives are worried that there may not be sufficient funds available to deal with all eventualities in meeting the needs of an individual who is a ward of court. They have major worries about the make-up of investments, as between equities and cash. Mr. Quigley might give his perspective. During the downturn, in the period from 2007, was there a fall in investments? I suppose it is about providing comfort. I am not questioning the independence of the investments committee and what it does, but Mr. Quigley might give his perspective in terms of ensuring there are sufficient funds available. Has the State had to provide funds?