Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While the committee has a role in regard to the Console issue and while I am very keen for us to deal with that, I have slight concern about the number of investigations that are taking place simultaneously up to and including those being carried out by the Garda. Therefore, we should approach this issue carefully in terms of what we would be getting ourselves into. I would hate for the committee to go down a road and end up looking at investigating those who are carrying out investigations and matters of that sort. That has occurred in the past and I would prefer if it did not happen in this instance. I was a member of the justice committee which, by and large, avoided issues of that nature. On one particular occasion, however, it was not possible to avoid the issue. In terms of members' time, the role of the committee and our interaction with the likes of the HSE, which, clearly, has a great number of questions to answer, the purpose of my correspondence was to begin the process. However, matters have moved on since then.

On the St. John of God issue, obviously it falls very clearly within our remit. Our discussions with the HSE on it in terms of the controls within the service level agreements for both sections 38 and 39 agencies need to examined by this committee. There is also the matter of whether the legislation or statutory instruments governing those agencies need to be examined. I am aware that the charity regulator would most likely have a role to play in some way with regard to both issues and there is the question of whether, as part of our discussions, there would be an opportunity for us to meet the regulator. Deputy Madigan raised that issue earlier in the week. It is certainly something at which the committee should look.