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

In relation to Departments that appear before us which do not have certain information at the time that say they will send it in, is there any way Mr. Watt can write to the Secretaries General to say that when they say that at the Committee of Public Accounts, they have a certain number of days to send back the information? Some Departments do not get back to us.

The second question on timely responses relates to reports the Comptroller and Auditor General submits to Ministers. Two relate to the Department of Education and Skills at the moment, one on the VEC in Cork. Such reports can remain with the Minister for up to three months. What do they do with them? I refer to a stage following which the report has been sent to various people for comment. Could Mr. Watt put an agreed reasonable protocol in place for a response from the Minister?