Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will certainly write to the Cork IT and IT Tralee enclosing this schedule and ask why their figures are so high relative to the others. We want to know which college paid the amount involved, was it paid on a 50:50 basis or by one college? As Deputy Catherine Murphy said, it has had an impact on student services. If more than €571,000 has been spent by two colleges on this project, less money has been available for student services. We will write to the Higher Education Authority asking it to give us a detailed response on this. The expenditure involved is alarming with a €1 million having been spent on some of those items. I know some of these are proceeding well in Dublin, etc., but some of them are not. We also want find out from the Higher Education Authority if, from its perspective, it is satisfied with this level of costs and what control it had regarding this merger issue? When we get a reply from those organisations, we will return to these matters.

The next correspondence No. 1101, dated 19 February, from an individual requesting further information from Tusla regarding a matter previously raised with the committee. The committee requested a response from Tusla, which we forwarded to the individual. Tusla in correspondence with the individual directed the person towards the Office of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children. The individual states she has documentation gained under free of information that supports her view that a report was suppressed unnecessarily. I do not believe we can take this matter further and the individual has been directed to the Office of the Ombudsman to examine such a claim.

Is that agreed? Agreed. We cannot take any further action.

Correspondence No. 1103C, from Deputy Alan Kelly, draws our attention to an Irish Examinerarticle on UCC and a deal with the Cork Opera House.