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

It is to good to hear that. Can we agree to note the accounts and statements? Agreed. As usual, the listing of accounts and financial statements will be published as part of our minutes.

The next business is correspondence. As previously agreed, items that were not flagged for discussion for this meeting will continue to be dealt with in accordance with the proposed actions that have been circulated. Decisions taken by the committee on correspondence are recorded in the minutes of our meetings and published on its web page. The first category of correspondence under which members have flagged items for discussion is correspondence from Accounting Officers and-or Ministers and follow-up to committee meetings.

No. R1232 B from Mr. Ray Mitchell, assistant national director, HSE, dated 9 May 2022, providing information requested by the committee during our meeting with the HSE on 10 March. The meeting focused on the HSE's expenditure on mental health services and the child and adolescent mental health services. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Munster flagged it for discussion, but she had to leave. Does any other member wish to comment on that correspondence? Everybody is okay with it.

The next correspondence is No. R1233 Bfrom Mr. Kevin McCarthy, Secretary General, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, dated 9 May 2022. It provides information requested by the committee regarding a timeline for the implementation of the White Paper to end direct provision and the establishment of a new international protection support service. The Secretary General addresses the impact of the war in Ukraine on that work, stating that almost 28,000 Ukrainian refugees have come to Ireland under the temporary protection directive, with over 19,000 accommodated by the State. As the Department is responsible for providing short-term accommodation to Ukrainian refugees, it has had to redeploy staff, which has impacted on some areas of the White Paper implementation process. It is proposed to note and publish this correspondence and to forward it to the relevant sectoral committee for its information. Is that agreed? Agreed. Again, Deputy Munster had flagged it for discussion.

The next correspondence is No. R1235 B from Ms Katherine Licken, Secretary General, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, dated 11 May 2022. It provides information requested by the committee regarding the digitising of records of the Irish Land Commission. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence and to request information on the timelines for digitisation of search aids from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as well as whether there are plans to digitise all records. Is that agreed? Agreed. Deputy Catherine Murphy wishes to speak on this.