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

The next item of correspondence is No. 1378 B from Mr. David Moloney, Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, dated 26 July 2022, providing further information requested by the committee regarding public funding for Benefacts. It appears that the Department does not see a direct role for itself, as the Department responsible for public expenditure, in ensuring that there is transparency in relation to the billions of euro of public funding that goes into the not-for-profit sector each year. That said, the letter states that "if a public service body were to bring forward a business case to assume a lead funding role predicated on the use of the 'Teckal' exemption, such an arrangement would necessarily form part of the business case assessment".

No. 1378 B has to do with Benefacts. We know the substantial role it played in making sure there was transparency. No. 1403 B is related to this. It is an issue we might wish to raise with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform when it comes before the committee. Some of the information in the correspondence shows that Benefacts was providing substantial benefits. Deputy Catherine Murphy had to leave early due to other parliamentary commitments. She has flagged this issue. We will hold these items over until next week. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 1384 B is from Mr. William Beausang, assistant secretary at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and is dated 29 July 2022. It provides further information requested by the committee regarding withholding capital funding from the University of Limerick. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. This question came up, as committee members will recall, because funding was withheld. The letter contains further information on this. It is a matter we will revisit. Do members wish to comment on it? As they do not we will note and publish the item of correspondence.

No. 1385 B is from Mr. Graham Doyle, Secretary General of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and is dated 29 July 2022. It provides information requested by the committee arising from the meeting with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on 23 June 2022. It includes a wide range of information on 17 issues spanning 29 pages. A response to an 18th issue will be forwarded separately. These arise from the committee’s examination of the oversight and governance arrangements in place in the local government sector. It is somewhat surprising that on page 25, in relation to recommendations made by the Local Government Audit Service, it is stated that no central record of the implementation of recommendations made is maintained by the Local Government Audit Service. This is an issue we discussed. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. Do members want to comment on this?