Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am searching for the letter we sent to Caranua, which sets out the specific issues the committee proposed to raise. Caranua has engaged with the Committee of Public Accounts on financial matters. Having discussed the matter with the Chairman of that committee, specifically with regard to the Private Members' motion tabled in the Dáil last week, I am aware that issues were raised regarding the expenditure of some of the €110,000 on administration. While I fully understand the reason that issue was raised, the legislation states that the normal costs of administering the funds will be included in the costs. This provision was an oversight by the then Government when it introduced the legislation. Although it is open to the Oireachtas to amend the Act, it would be incorrect to claim this expenditure was wrong as it is provided for in the legislation.

Deputy Thomas Byrne was with me in the Chamber when the issue of rent was raised during the debate on Deputy Connolly's Private Members' motion. While I understand how it came to be raised, having examined the matter further, it appears the Office of Public Works was covering the rent and it was not being paid from the moneys in question.

The letter sent to the chair and chief executive states that the committee identified a number of areas of particular interest, including but not limited to reports of dissatisfaction expressed by survivors in respect of the services provided by Caranua, the steps Caranua takes to ensure it operates in accordance with best practice, the rationale for limiting grants to €15,000, the reported erroneous closing of active cases and the introduction of new, complicated and confusing guidelines. This covers many of the areas that have come to the committee's attention. I hope the Deputy will be happy to focus on these areas, although to be fair to the chief executive, she indicated she would be happy to cover other areas.