Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We will send the transcript and put the questions to which members want answers. We will publish this letter, redacting the name of the person concerned. That is noted and published with redaction.

Correspondence No. 2450B is from Mr. Tom Doherty, chief operations officer of Teagasc, providing an information note requested by the committee about the number of contracts that were non-compliant with procurement rules in 2018. These were recorded in the statements of internal control or governance in its annual report. This committee now has a policy of immediately writing to an organisation for a detailed explanation, which can be put on the public record, whenever we meet instances of non-compliance with public procurement. Public bodies will likely not want their details read out to that extent in future and so it will probably encourage them to deal with the issue and not let it recur. The letter from Teagasc provides considerable details, much of them relating to the rollover of a Vodafone telephone account. It seems to be dealing with the issues. We will note and publish the letter. Our point is well made on that particular issue. Public bodies will have to give a detailed point-by-point full explanation of the issue, the action taken, the value involved and the remedial action taken. They will not want to be written to again next year. Let us hope they act accordingly. We will note and publish that. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Correspondence No. 2453B is from Mr. Ciarán Breen, the director of the State Claims Agency. It provides information requested by the committee on the general indemnity scheme and clinical indemnity scheme, details of the type of cover provided and information regarding which legal costs are covered or not covered. This is a follow-up inquiry for the purposes of our periodic report. We have asked for details where we felt there were gaps in our information. We will note and publish that letter, which will feed into our periodic report.

Correspondence No. 2454B is from Mr. Michael Goodwin from the energy security division of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. It provides an information note on the National Oil Reserves Agency levy and its potential repurposing for use by the climate action fund, which will require legislation. Deputy MacSharry previously raised this issue. The Department states that legislation is required to achieve this goal. It also clarifies, in response to the Deputy's question from a previous meeting, that it is not in a position to hand over the surplus in its accounts to the Government by way of a dividend. It accepts that the levy is in excess of what it requires and it now wants it to be used for the climate action fund, which is Government policy. The Government has published the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill, which will provide for the surplus levies collected to be used for the climate action fund. The letter goes on to say that legislation is currently being developed to amend the 2007 legislation and provide for the expansion of the purpose of future levy funds. The letter has not answered the central question we asked about the existing build-up of funds, though we understand that future levies can have a new purpose based in the legislation. This question will probably be debated in the Chamber during the passage of the legislation, whenever that happens. The letter sets out the Department's position crystal clear. We will note and publish this item.