Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 7 November 2019

Public Accounts Committee

2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Chapter 12 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 13 - Timeliness of Income Support Claim Processing
Chapter 14 - Customer Service - Development of Income Support Application Forms

9:00 am

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am putting to Mr. McKeon not my opinion but that of the Data Protection Commissioner, what was in her report and what she stated to the committee.

She said to the committee that of course she was willing to meet at the appropriate time when she first got a response. She had directed that there be an implementation plan and she felt that it was appropriate for that plan to be put in place and to then meet. She got a letter from the Department stating that officials wanted to meet her. Her response stated that it would be entirely inappropriate for the commission to engage in a meeting where it had issued finalised findings and clear directions. Is it correct that she had issued finalised findings at that point? She contends that at that point, it would have been inappropriate for her to meet the witnesses. I imagine the Comptroller and Auditor General has a similar process when he does his reports where he allows an organisation to come back. Would he meet with an organisation once he has finalised a report?

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.