Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, is present as a permanent witness to the committee. He is joined today by Ms Olivia Somers, senior auditor. Apologies have been received from Deputy Kelly.

Are the minutes of the meeting of 29 March agreed? Agreed. No matters arise from them that will not also arise by way of correspondence or in the course of the meeting.

I want to move straight on to correspondence received since our last meeting. There are three categories of correspondence, the first of which, category A, relates to briefing documents and opening statements and covers correspondence items Nos. 1226 and 1235 from Mr. Derek Moran, Secretary General of the Department of Finance, which enclose a briefing as well as an opening statement for today's meeting. We will note and publish that.

Next is category B, correspondence from Accounting Officers following up on previous meetings of this committee. The first item of correspondence is No. 1204B from Mr. William Beausang, assistant secretary at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, enclosing the circular requested by the committee regarding the publication of post-project reviews. This also refers to public-private partnerships. We had a brief discussion on this matter previously. We will note and publish this correspondence. All Departments have been instructed to carry out such reviews.

Next is No. 1207B from Mr. Mark Griffin, Secretary General of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, enclosing information requested by the committee regarding the waste directive and a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union dated 26 April 2005. It is a voluminous document at 68 pages. We will note and publish it, and if anyone wishes to comment, he or she is free to do so. It is an old document and members are free to use it in any way they choose after the meeting.

Next is No. 1209B from Mr. John McCarthy, Secretary General of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, dated 29 March, providing follow-up information requested by the committee on the funding of local authorities, matters related to housing and the cost of producing the national planning framework. There is a substantial briefing document in this regard. Deputies Cassells and Murphy wish to contribute.