Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I think the issue was raised during Leaders' Questions this week. Deputy Murphy's point is correct. We will send the correspondence to the Joint Committee on Health. I think we should also send it to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform because the issue is a difficult one.

When the minimum wage rises as a result of Government legislation, those who are employing people on the minimum wage expect that the same Government would provide funding to meet that increase. The argument is that the Government is not doing so and that this is making staff retention difficult. It is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and this committee will highlight the impact this is having. We will send it to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health but also directly to the Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform for his consideration.

Item 856C is correspondence dated 23 October from an individual relating to the alleged waste of €50,000 by Dublin City Council on the digging of bore holes on the individual’s property. I propose that we write to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government for a response. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 857C(i) to (vi) is correspondence dated 22 October 2017 from an individual relating to the value of a land on which two schools are to be built. The individual suggests that the price paid was excessive and that the site remains unsuitable. An article from a magazine plus documents obtained through a freedom of information request are attached. The individual was in contact with the committee previously and we received a note from the Department explaining the purchase process and rationale. With the agreement of the individual, I propose that we forward this correspondence to the Department to address any further issues raised. Just to refresh everyone's memory, this is about a school in Wicklow. The matter came before the committee a few months ago as an issue arose with regard to the location of a new school. We have already dealt with it but there are still outstanding issues. We will now pass it over to the Department and ask that it deal with the individual directly. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 861C is correspondence dated 20 October 2017 from a group which calls itself FLAME, or Former Local Authority Members Éire, in relation to the winding up of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland. The winding up is related to a policy decision to abolish town and borough councils. The group has reported matters to An Garda Síochána. I propose that we write to the group stating that An Garda Síochána should be allowed to carry out its investigation. The Committee of Public Accounts will not carry out an investigation of the alleged criminal matters referred to in the letter because such matters are the responsibility of An Garda Síochána. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 862C is correspondence dated 25 October 2017 from an individual, which was copied to several others, entitled “Ongoing Revenue fraud by the Office and the DPP”. The purpose of the email is not clear. We will note it and move on.

The next item, No. 867C, is correspondence dated 2 November 2017 from Mr. John McCarthy, Secretary General of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, providing information requested by the committee on insurance arrangements for local authorities, including Dublin City Council. We will note this. I am sure committee members will want to read that correspondence and possibly refer back to it at a later date.