Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will continue for a final few minutes before we formally suspend for lunch. During the first 20 minutes this morning, we heard a breakdown of the payments to the ETB sector. Will the witnesses, in the calm light of day, put that on paper and come back to the committee tomorrow or the next day? We were all scribbling notes but we need to receive that formally next week. It will probably make much more sense when we have it in writing. Will the witnesses separate out the breakdown on SUSI as it relates to ETBs in order to let the committee know what the ETB sector is costing? It is a simple question. The witnesses can come back to us in writing on that.

I have two quick questions. SOLAS gave us a good indication of its interaction with the ETBs in respect of the budget and the mid-year review. The organisations meet afterwards, check the figures and assert them. I know there can be a balancing. Does the Department of Education and Skills interact with the ETBs on budgetary matters to the same extent as SOLAS has indicated? SOLAS has put approximately €500 million into the sector. The Department seems to be telling us what we would like to hear. I know the Department waits for the final accounts, which might require some balancing, but does the Department interact formally in the same way as SOLAS or is it just done through the annual Estimates? How does the Department respond to what SOLAS does? It seems to be a good way of doing things.