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

We will seek that clarification.

The next correspondence is No. 1446B from Ms Vivienne Flood, head of public affairs at RTÉ, dated 6 September 2022, providing further information requested by the committee regarding contractors. It is proposed to note and publish this correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will now move on to correspondence from and relating to private individuals and any other correspondence. No. 1362C, which is from an individual and dated 13 July 2022, is further correspondence to the committee regarding the social welfare appeals office and the alleged use of test cases. The individual previously corresponded with the committee and, at the meeting of 2 June, we agreed to advise the correspondent that our report on the examination of the 2019 Appropriation Account for Vote 9 – Office of the Revenue Commissioners recorded the committee's position on the matter arising from the evidence that was presented to it. Regarding the correspondent's question as to whether the committee has found evidence of a test case, this matter has been raised with the Department and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in writing and during engagements. The committee has received conflicting accounts on the use of test cases but it is not an adjudicative body. However, in terms of the wider issue of bogus self-employment, the committee will continue to pursue the matter in a manner consistent with its role. It is proposed to advise the correspondent accordingly.

There are two pieces of correspondence that are kind of relevant to this. Just bear with me for a second while I reference these. I looked at these last night and had a discussion with the clerk about this. One is No. 1009 from Revenue. Basically, the correspondent is asking whether we have proof of a test case.

Please hold for one second while I clarify this.

I was just checking which one was published and which one was not. The clerk is going back through the records of the committee to check this. No. 1009 was published and it is from 4 August 2000. That is how far we are going back. It was sent to Jerome Flanagan, who was, at that time, part of the secretariat here. The relevant part of it states that for the purpose of insurability under social welfare law, a motorcycle courier was found to be self-employed by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs appeals tribunal some years ago. The decision was not challenged further through the High Court on a point of law and, consequently, would stand for social insurance purposes. That is the reference.

There is another letter, but it was not published. Therefore, we are not in a position to do anything with that. The one that is published is, obviously, a committee document. It is published and out there. I would suggest we help the correspondent by supplying the letter to him, referencing correspondence No. 1009 from 4 August 2000 to this committee. It is 22 years old. Thanks for that. Please bear with me because I am juggling a number of pieces of correspondence. We will bring the published correspondence to the correspondent's attention.

The next piece of correspondence is No. 1366C from Deputy Catherine Murphy. It is dated 19 July and is a proposal to request information on track attendance at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium from Greyhound Racing Ireland. Deputy Murphy flagged this and it is her correspondence. I suggest that we put it to next week, if that is agreeable. Agreed.

I will move on to our work programme. In our last meeting, on 14 July, we agreed to the following engagements for this term. Horse Racing Ireland will be here next week, 22 September, with representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. On 29 September, we will engage with the HSE, focusing on mental health expenditure in Community Healthcare Organisations, CHOs, 4 and 8. If there are specific issues within either of those areas, we should put those on the agenda. I know there is one in CHO 8 that has to be included. In CHO 4, there are matters that have been identified. On 6 October we will again engage with the HSE about expenditure on emergency services and its 2021 financial statements. Along with the emergency hospital services, the ambulance service was a specific issue that we wanted to address. On 30 September, which will be budget week, the Comptroller and Attorney General will publish the 2021 appropriation accounts and the report on the accounts of the public services and that will assist us in planning engagements for the term.

We have already discussed a number of potential engagements and will discuss those further once availability has been confirmed for October. Do members wish to raise any other matters in relation to the work programme?