Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know. It happens.

No. 1595C was held over.

No. 1601C is correspondence, dated 21 September 2018, received from an individual about wards of court. The correspondent has contacted the committee on a number of occasions. I can update committee members on where we are on the issue of wards of court. The lady who has corresponded with us has also been in touch with the justice committee which, as I stated, compiled a detailed report on the issue. In view of the fact that the matter was before two committees, the Ceann Comhairle asked to meet me and the Chairman of the justice committee. He was keen that there would be a Dáil debate on it. The justice committee will seek time to pass a motion on its report on the wards of court issue. The debate is moving to the Dáil based on the report of the justice committee. I encourage members of this committee to participate in the debate when it takes place. The justice committee has taken the lead on the issue, even though we were dealing with a lot of correspondence on it. It has completed a report and we will certainly not duplicate the work it has done. There will be a Dáil debate on the report in due course once the Business Committee allocates time for it. That is where we are on the matter. We will forward the correspondence and let the person know that this is what has been scheduled to happen.

No. 1678C is correspondence received from Mr John Connaghan, director general of the HSE, providing an information note on West Kerry Community Hospital. I propose that we note the correspondence and forward it to the individual who raised the matter. Our consideration of the matter is now closed. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 1690C is correspondence, dated 27 October 2018, received from the Irish Thalidomide Association, forwarding previous correspondence on thalidomide litigation to the State Claims Agency. The association has asked the committee not to forward the correspondence in question so as not to compromise ongoing litigation. While related matters will be raised during this meeting, members should be careful not to identify any individual case. The association is asking us not to forward the correspondence we have received to the State Claims Agency in the event that it compromises ongoing legislation. We will raise the issues with the State Claims Agency but not the specific cases at the request of the association. In fairness, the agency will be at a disadvantage today because, as members of the committee, we have received correspondence that we have not been given permission to share with it. It will be in an awkward position in responding to something we have been requested not to give it on a matter we have raised with it.