Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The clerk will write to the Chairman of the OPW requesting that OPW meet with the landlord, in whatever form, as soon as possible and respond to this committee on the matter within a four-week period. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 464B is from Ms Rachel Downes, chief executive officer, Caranua, dated 23 March 2021, providing information relating to the recent wind-down of Caranua. Following a proposal by Deputy Munster, we had requested that Caranua respond to the committee on behalf of certain survivors but Caranua was wound down before the responses were received.

At our meeting of 31March we agreed to note and publish this item and held it over for consideration in public. We also agreed to request that the Department of Education clarify how Caranua's work will now proceed, provide a timeframe for legislation and an update on progress resolving outstanding cases, and the responses requested on behalf of certain survivors. That response is No. 519B from Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General, Department of Education, dated 19 April 2021. The Secretary General provides an outline of the role and work of Caranua, the current position following the expiration of the term of office of the board, and how the Department intends to address the committee’s request for a substantive response on behalf of three survivors. The letter states that the Department’s legal advice is that there is no lawful basis for the provision by the Department of the information requested by the committee. Notwithstanding this, the Department is pursuing this matter and has given an undertaking to contact the individuals concerned, and with their consent, to work to address the issues raised on their behalf by the committee and to revert to the committee in due course.

I understand that the secretariat has been in contact with Deputy Munster’s office and in light of the commitment given by the Department, I propose that we allow the Department to complete this work and we will consider the matter again when we receive an update from the Department. Is that agreed? This item was flagged by Deputies Munster and Catherine Murphy. I invite Deputy Munster to comment.