Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I made reference earlier to slow replies. Is the Minister himself or are his officials aware that there is a requirement on each Department to reply to a committee regarding recommendations contained in a report submitted for the Department's attention and address within a three-month period? This has only recently been confirmed by the Taoiseach himself. The matter came before a meeting of the Working Group of Committee Chairmen, which I attended. We highlighted the difficulties that this and other committees have in this regard and this was the Taoiseach's confirmation. We have submitted a number of reports over the period since this committee was established this time two years ago, immediately prior to the summer recess of 2016. That three-month requirement in respect of a detailed, considered response to recommendations made has not been adhered to. I am not looking to go back in time over anything; I am urging the Minister's address of this matter into the future. That is the purpose of my highlighting it. I have reflected on an earlier period but I am looking at the list of correspondence over the same two-year period in respect of individual case referrals, confirmations of engagements with chairpersons designate, reports sent and matters forwarded for attention. We received ten replies and six acknowledgements. Where an acknowledgement at least was due in 22 cases, none issued to the committee. I am only reflecting this to the Minister. It is an exercise that the secretariat carried out at my request in advance of today's meeting. I am not interest in pedalling back over all that. What I am asking is that, as Minister, and with his senior officials with him today, Deputy Flanagan take on board that there is a frustration within the committee. We do not want to have that frustration with him and his Department officials. It is easily addressed, and I ask him to note it and accept it in good faith, in the way in which it is intended, because I am not going back over all this.