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

We can revert to the issue next week and see what has happened.

In terms of the work programme, another week has gone by without a response from the Department of Education and Skills regarding the issues raised about the Cork Institute of Technology, CIT. Deputy Connaughton referred to the response from Bord na gCon. We should put both bodies on notice to the effect that, if we do not receive a reply by the end of this session, we will have a special meeting in January and ask them to return.

Horse Sport Ireland appeared before us. This morning, I received correspondence from an individual who read the transcript and raised serious issues with the evidence given at that meeting. I have not had a chance to circulate the correspondence, but I will give it to the clerk this morning. Arising from it, we should seek clarification from the Irish Sports Council about the issues that have been raised. A commitment was given to the effect that the chairman would make an intervention in a matter that was raised during our meeting.

We should put the organisation on notice that if we do not get the responses required, there will have to be a special sitting to deal with those three matters in the new year; otherwise, we would not be completing our work and Departments or agencies coming before us would simply be putting the replies on the long finger, which is not acceptable.
Again on the work programme, next week NAMA will be before us. It was reported in The Sunday Business Postand raised in the Dáil yesterday that a lady has asked me to appear before the committee to explain her case. I will circulate the information on this to members. We are opening the chapter on NAMA next week and I honestly think it would be worthwhile to hear from this woman after that meeting. The matter relates to the business of NAMA and to how it is conducting its business. What I heard from the woman is compelling and I believe we have to hear it.