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

No. 1004B is from Mr. Fergal Lynch, Secretary General at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, dated 10 January 2022. It is an interim response regarding information requested by the Committee of Public Accounts relating to the system of direct provision. The Secretary General states that work is under way on the White Paper proposals that seek to end direct provision and replace it with a new system of international protection, and he states that a substantive response will follow. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. This matter was flagged by Deputy Devlin but he is as láthair. The White Paper is promised. Substantive work is ongoing and this correspondence sets out that a more substantive response will be provided. We should await that, if everyone is happy to do so.

No. 1005B is from Ms Clíodhna Guy, interim CEO, Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, IHRB, dated 11 January 2022, providing information requested by the Committee of Public Accounts relating to the installation of CCTV cameras at racecourses. The IHRB states that the board of Horse Racing Ireland has approved the budget required for the proposed CCTV system but the procurement process has not yet concluded. As such, timelines for installation are not yet clear but there is a commitment from the IHRB to provide progress updates to the committee. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. The correspondence states that the IHRB will provide them at racecourses that will be holding early fixtures. It appears to be dragging on and is an issue that we need to watch to ensure there is progress on it. The progress in the past four or five years on this has been glacier-like to say the least. Deputy Munster wanted to come in briefly on this.