Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are unanimous at this stage. In the meantime, we will note and publish it because it is on the record. We will make sure it is sent to the persons concerned with the transcript from the last day. We will send out a copy of that letter. While we are on that topic, we recently spoke to An Garda Síochána regarding the unit it had set up to deal with the Charleton tribunal. As a matter of proper procedure we will send a copy of any correspondence we had on that matter and the transcript of that aspect of the meeting to the Charleton inquiry. Now that I have considered the matter, since we have concluded our report on NAMA and Project Eagle, which is also subject to a commission of investigation, if anything has come through this committee by way of correspondence or discussion that could be relevant to that commission, it is our duty to send it on. It is up to the commission then. Is it agreed that with regard to the investigation into the Grace case, we will send on anything that is said or done here? It is up to them to deal with it then. Similarly with regard to the Charleton tribunal, we will forward anything that was said or any other information we have. We will do the same with regard to the commission of investigation into Project Eagle. We do not want it said we had information we did not pass on. I think we all know where we are on that issue. We will await further correspondence.

The next item concerns correspondence items Nos. 945B and 953B from Mr. Ray Mitchell. It is follow-up correspondence in response to our meeting with the HSE and Chapter 19 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on section 38 and 39 organisations. I want to make a comment on this. I hope people will appreciate the good spirit in which I make it. It is in contrast to the remarks I have just made. The reply we have received from the HSE should be the model for how other Departments reply to us. We asked questions and it deals with them by replying with exact answers to each numbered question. It is very thorough and complete. The HSE has improved its communication with us by replying to each specific issue raised. For the information of the public, we will note and publish the reply. We asked for the breakdown of the section 38 organisations required to publish their annual reports. The HSE gave us a list of the 30 organisations. There is a list of 14 others that are not incorporated bodies and do not have to lodge accounts with the Companies Registration Office, CRO, but which are published as well. With regard to section 38 organisations that have received over €3 million in funding, we wanted to ensure that all of the 2016 accounts were received by the HSE. This letter provides a list of 43 such organisations and only three are outstanding. They are Cheeverstown House company limited by guarantee, Leopardstown Park Hospital Trust and St. John of God Community Services, company limited by guarantee. Three out of 43 is very good progress and the HSE is to be commended on getting such a high number. If only other Departments were so good. Under the section 39 not-for-profit organisations, there is a list of 65 organisations that are required to supply their 2016 financial statements. Only five of the 65 have not yet done so. That is a very high hit rate. We can discuss the content of the HSE correspondence later but I acknowledge the way it is approaching our questions by systematically answering every one and getting those accounts in on a timely basis. If the rest of the public service got their accounts in as quickly as the HSE seems to be doing with the section 38 and 39 organisations, there would be improved public accountability. That is an administrative point rather than the substance of the point.