Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On a light note, on the two or three occasions when I stood in for the Chairman, I was accused of running long meetings. We commenced the meeting nine hours and 20 minutes ago and I think the Chairman will beat the record.

I have a number of questions. I found today's meeting very revealing - but not in a good way. I believe the Department of Education and Skills has had a bad today as I do not think many of our questions have been answered. I have serious concerns about oversight, as well as the process in which funds are being accounted for, value for money and performance and a range of other issues. I look forward to the report we will write. The Chairman and I have sought for a long time to bring the people together. I look forward to the information we have sought and that we will seek shortly being provided.

I welcome the witnesses from the ETBs, in particular the witnesses from Tipperary ETB. I have to declare that I know three of the witnesses for some time. I thank them for coming before the committee. The response I am seeking to a number of my questions is a simple yes or no answer, or witnesses can provide the information to the committee secretariat. May I remind the witnesses that when we put questions to the officials from the Department, we asked them to put all the missing board minutes up online and to submit a copy of all internal audit reports.

Are there any conflicts of interest, or has there been any conflict of interest, declared by anyone in either ETB in the past number of years, bar the ones already stated by the Kildare and Wicklow ETB?