Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 13 June 2019

Public Accounts Committee

Business of Committee

9:00 am

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

No. 2192C, from an individual, is dated 27 May 2019 and is with regard to the foal levy. We have previously received inquiries from the same correspondent on this matter and forwarded a response from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine which provided a background to the foal levy. The Department advised that Horse Racing Ireland administers the levy and it is not practical to base the levy on the actual amount paid by the breeder for the nomination due to the variety of deals and shares available in the industry. That is what the Department states; we do not necessarily endorse it. It is just what it says. Just because we repeat what it states does not mean we agree with it. We are just acknowledging that is what it states. I propose to advise the correspondent that the committee will not be taking the matter any further because ultimately it is a policy matter for the Department if it wants to change how the scheme is managed. That is a policy decision for the Minister and it is not for the committee. We will note it and inform the correspondent accordingly. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 2194C, from an individual, is dated 27 May and people will be interested in it. It requests an explanation for payments to Deputies for sitting on committees. We are well used to people making allegations against Deputies. Some of them are based on false information and some are just done for the sake of doing it. The correspondent asked for someone to explain whether Deputies who already receive a salary for being a politician are paid extra for sitting on a committee. The answer is "No". Members sit here as part of their work in the Oireachtas. The correspondent wants to know whether there is extra money for sitting on a committee and, if so, this individual wants the job. For the record, and this is important, there is an allowance for chairpersons of Oireachtas committees only but not other members. I propose we refer the correspondence to the Oireachtas website, where there is detailed information on Oireachtas salaries and allowances for specified positions.

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