Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, I note it is important that this committee receive information on this critical project in a more timely fashion. It is unacceptable for the committee to have to wait nine or ten months after year end before it can see the financial statements for last year of an organisation as sensitive as this. I ask that the accounts for 2019 be submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor General by the end of February and that the Comptroller and Auditor General give them priority. I cannot dictate the workload of the Comptroller and Auditor General and I acknowledge that the appropriation accounts must be done but the HSE and the NTMA are given priority. Similar priority should be given to the largest capital project in the State. I do not know who will be here this time next year, but the Oireachtas should not have to wait until October of next year to see the financial statements for the period that will conclude in three weeks' time. Mr. Barry gets my point. There should be more urgency. It is possible that the change of directors or another matter was the reason for the delay. Many organisations appear before the committee. I consider this to be a critical organisation in which there is a significant amount of public interest. It is good for the reputation of the project if information is provided in a timely manner but it damages its reputation if information must be dragged out. I am making that point in a positive way. I ask Mr. Barry to try to get ahead of the curve on these matters.

This is the first time Ms Hardiman has appeared before the committee. Children's Health Ireland, CHI, deals with the hospitals in Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Blanchardstown. What about children who live outside Dublin and those who are sick in hospitals elsewhere in the country? Do they fall under the umbrella of CHI?