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

Could we agree to note the accounts and financial statements? Agreed. They will be published as part of our minutes.

No. 3 is correspondence. There are two items to be addressed this week. The first category of correspondence is from Accounting Officers and Ministers and follow-up to meetings of the Committee of Public Accounts. No. 817 B is from Dr. Alan Wall, chief executive officer of the Higher Education Authority, HEA, dated 6 October 2021. It is information requested by the committee in relation to third level courses that were provided by UCD, and supported by Tullow Oil, for the professional development of academics or technical professionals employed by the State or regulatory bodies in the oil and gas industry.

We also wrote to UCD in relation to this and considered its response, R0717B, at our meeting of 21 September. At that point we agreed to write to the HEA to inquire as to whether it maintains a register of third level courses funded, or part funded, by the private sector. We also agreed to request that the HEA provide an information note outlining what it requires in terms of disclosures in the financial statements in respect of this matter. We will consider the HEA's reply to that request in due course.

It is proposed to await the HEA's response to our query as to whether it maintains a register of third level courses funded, or part funded, by the private sector, and information as to what the HEA requires in terms of disclosures in financial statements of higher education institutes in respect of this matter.

I will open the floor to Deputy Hourigan, who has flagged this item. Any other Members who wish to speak should raise their hands.