Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I presume their hearts are in the right place, and it says something to me about the board that some do not take their fee and do not even claim travel. We do not see it very often in the Committee of Public Accounts and I want to highlight it. The committee had quite detailed discussions about another person's travel and expenses, and it is important from the board's point of view to put the other half of the equation on the record also.

I will now move on to the annual report 2016. I am concerned with regard to page 18, where it states the number of cases awaiting allocation, including those awaiting allocation for fewer than three months. The total figure was up to 9,000 in 2014 but this had decreased to approximately 6,000 at the end of last year. The number of high priority cases awaiting allocation has also decreased, according to the chart. The chart is going in the right direction but it is not there yet. That is probably the message I would take from Tusla's appearance here today. Tusla got off to a rocky start from its inception and it is probably beginning to get there now. Mr. McBride might comment on this because some people are still asking what is the solution. Is it more staff?