Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is clear from the opening statement, which will be discussed, that there is a big matter of principle here. We were assured that a report of some description would be concluded and published. However, we are now being told that the advice provided to the HEA makes it clear that this is "not possible". The authority has gone down a long road with a lot of people only to find, at the end of the day, that it had no authority to go down that road at all. If the HEA does not have the authority to do the job that people think it should be doing, that is a legislative matter to which we will have to return. There was a general understanding that there was a need for such an investigation and report, and I am sure that is accepted by the Department. Some alternative method of providing such a report will have to be found by the Department or the Minister. One cannot go three quarters of the way down a road and then say that one should not have come here. The job still needs to be done. Perhaps this was not the right way to go about it but the process cannot just stop. We will have to raise this with the Secretary General to see if the Department has the power to bring this matter to a conclusion.