Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Having reviewed the correspondence, it essentially concerns a legal dispute. The individual has forwarded a number of solicitors' letters in which a number of allegations are made. If he believes the allegations, he should pursue the matter further through the courts. If he believes there are criminal actions, he should report them to the Garda. That is not our function. For our part and with his agreement, I propose that we forward the correspondence to the HEA for whatever action it deems appropriate. Beyond that, I suggest we do not involve ourselves further. We are not asking the HEA to do anything; we are forwarding the material to it for its attention for any action it chooses to take. We can also expect every attempt to be made by public bodies to reduce expenditure on litigation. The individual in question has asked for details of expenditure on legal fees in 2017. I propose that we do not go there. He can take up the matter through whatever other channels are available. It is essentially a legal dispute and we are not going to get into it any further. I have made the committee's view clear. We will forward the material to the HEA. The individual in question has the option of going to the courts. It is a legal dispute that has been in the courts before. If there are criminal matters involved, the individual in question has the option of going to the Garda, but the Committee of Public Accounts is not the appropriate body to take the matter further. We are concluding our correspondence on the issue on that basis. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 1139C is correspondence received from Professor Patrick O'Shea, president, University College Cork, enclosing information requested by the committee on the appointment process for the chief operations officer in the Tyndall National Institute. Can we note the correspondence and forward a copy to the individual who raised the matter? It is an employment matter. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 1148C is correspondence received from Deputy Niamh Smyth. It concerns the issue of corporate governance at Creative Ireland and the allocation of funding for various events and festivals. I propose, in the first instance, that we write to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for a response which we will discuss when we receive it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 1149C is correspondence received from Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll, Secretary General, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, enclosing information requested by the committee on the Irish Horse Welfare Trust, an organisation which is based in County Wicklow. Can we note the item and forward a copy to the individual who raised the matter? Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 1158C is correspondence received from an individual who alleges the unlimited waste of taxpayers' money to harass her family. She has copied correspondence to the committee and been in touch with the health committee. The substantive matter seems to relate to the taking into custody by the Garda of her children on two occasions, in 2013 and 2016, as a result of a court order. It is not within the remit of the committee to consider court decisions. I propose that we write to the individual in question to suggest she consider obtaining legal advice on her options. I also propose that we write to state our consideration of the matter is now closed. We certainly cannot revisit matters dealt with in the Family Court. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 1159C is correspondence received from an individual concerning what he describes as the SIPTU-FÁS slush fund. He questions why the committee is not investigating the matter which has been ongoing for five or six years at the committee. It was considered by the previous committee. There is also an ongoing investigation into the alleged misappropriation of grant funds and the issue remains within the remit of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau. The last committee submitted the matter to the Garda to investigate whether there was fraud involved. This was communicated to the individual in question last November. I propose that we write to him to state we do not propose to pursue the matter further and that he not circulate further correspondence on it to the committee. If at some point the investigation is concluded by the Garda and there are matters arising from it that are relevant to the committee, we may return to the issue at that stage. It has been handed over to the Garda and we are not getting involved at this stage. Is that agreed? Agreed.