Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We need a report on the prior years and then current years will be covered from here on in. We will ask for a specific report on previous years. No. 708B, correspondence 1-4, dated 14 July 2017, is also from the HEA and concerns further information on the combined liabilities of universities and the most commonly procured consultancy firms; the salaries of the presidents of all the third level institutions; and a review of HEA procurement across the third level sector. The review is something that members may be interested in considering further and I suggest that we note it for now. It gives details on all the items we asked for, including the salaries of the heads of all the third level institutions, which are provided on a separate list. Finally, it includes a very comprehensive report produced by Deloitte, reference number 708/3B, and produced on 4 May 2017. This report is very extensive. Nothing in it strikes me, but I think that we have to write to HEA to request a timeline of the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report. It is fine to get the report but we want to make sure that some action is taken. It is reasonable to suggest we do not just put the report on the shelf but ask the HEA to come back to us on this at some point before the end of the year. We will give it a few months for that.

The next item is No. 710B, correspondence dated 17 July 2017, from Ed Silvey, director of credit institution and supervision and acting registrar for credits unions in the Central Bank. The letter concerns St. Raphael's Garda Credit Union and states that, due to confidentiality requirements, it is not possible to provide the information requested by the committee regarding any investigation that may have been carried out into the Garda credit union. However, sets out, in general terms, what the credit union's expectations are and we can note this. It is standard practice for the Central Bank not to get into specific confidential items and I think we can understand that.

The next item, No. 711B, is an extensive letter from the HSE, dated 11 July 2017, concerning further information requested at our meeting on 15 June. The correspondence includes information notes as requested by the committee. Members may wish to study these and return to this. We will be specifically engaging with the HSE in the coming week as a section 38 and section 39 organisation. We had a list of approximately 15 questions, which have all been answered in this documentation to varying degrees. I suggest that members of the committee study them and if anybody wishes to come back on anything, please do. There is a lot of good information here, which we note. I will not read out the 15 questions again.

The next item is No. 712B, dated 14 July 2017, and received from Jim Breslin, Secretary General of the Department of the Health. This provides information requested by the committee on 15 June regarding contingent liabilities; a reconciliation of outturn figures; and an explanation for the exclusion of home helps from staffing numbers. Again, I suggest members study this and use it as they see fit.

If anyone wants to come back to it again, we can do so. We note that.

No. 714B is from the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills enclosing the 2014 KPMG report regarding allegations against Cork Institute of Technology, as requested by the committee. The report has been redacted very heavily primarily because not to do so would identify individuals concerned. We note this and I am sure it is a matter that will be considered in our work programme for the coming year. It is extensive but there are a lot of redactions.