Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are joined today by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, who is a permanent witness to the committee. He is joined by Ms Josephine Mooney, deputy director of audit. Apologies have been received from Deputy Pat Deering. We will hold over the minutes until the next meeting and matters arising.

The next item on the agenda is correspondence received since the last meeting. There are three categories of correspondence. The first category, category A, deals with the opening statements and briefing documents from today's meeting. No. 1648 A and No. 1660 comprise correspondence received from Mr. Robert Watt, Secretary General, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, dated 15 October and 17 October 2018, providing briefing information and an opening statement for today's meeting. We will note and publish that. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 1655 A is correspondence received from Dr. Graham Love, CEO of the Higher Education Authority, dated 16 October, providing an opening statement for today's meeting. We will note and publish that and deal with it in the afternoon. No. 1656 A is correspondence received from Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills, dated 16 October 2018, providing an opening statement for today's meeting. We will note and publish that and deal with it in the afternoon.