Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I suggest we return to that topic because it is broader than the children's hospital. I was a member of the previous Committee of Public Accounts. The Oireachtas has generally accepted until now that a public servant on the board of a company would be constrained by company law and the fiduciary duty on directors in terms of informing a Minister. This circular does not tally with what I believe was the general presumption in the Oireachtas. We will probably have to do a trawl of each Department and ask what issues have been highlighted to each Minister by civil servants in his or her Department in respect of the membership of civil servants on various boards. We need to get that list or perhaps it does happen or is ignored. That information might be useful. We will not sign off on that today. Deputy Kelly has highlighted the broad issue. Now that it has been highlighted, I do not believe this committee can walk away from that without following through. Maybe we will not do so today but we will certainly come back.

On correspondence, how do members want to proceed? We are behind time and we want to catch up. We have invited guests coming. They are not normal witnesses who are required to be here.