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

Do any members wish to comment on those? No. Can we agree to note the listing of accounts and financial statements? Agreed. As usual, the listing of accounts and financial statements will be published as part of our minutes.

No. 3 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, and decisions taken by the committee in relation to correspondence are recorded in the minutes of the committee’s meetings and published on the committee’s web page.

The first category of correspondence under which members have flagged items for discussion is: B - correspondence from Accounting Officers or Ministers and follow up to committee meetings.

No. 1726 B from Ms Mary Hurley, Secretary General, Department of Rural and Community Development, dated 7 February 2023 provides an update on the scoping exercise for a system to replace the Benefacts database, which is the proposed centralised grantee database and national funding platform. At our meeting on 26 January we decided to reiterate our request to the Department for the business case for the project to develop a system to replace the Benefacts database, and for details of the scope of Pobal's proposed role in the project. That letter issued on 10 February and a response is awaited. In the meantime, this item was received. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. Deputy Murphy is not here but she had flagged this item for discussion. We have two choices. We can hold this back until next week, but as there is a further piece of correspondence awaited I propose that we would hold the item back and wait for that to come in. Agreed.

No. 1730 B is from Mr. John Callinan, Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach, dated 8 February 2023. It provides information requested by the committee regarding tribunals of inquiry and commissions of investigation. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. I had flagged this item for discussion, and we had raised it with the Minister before, with regard to the overall cost of the tribunals. In this correspondence, Mr. Callinan outlines the various investigations and he says:

While these matters are kept under continuing review in the context of the work of particular Tribunals of Inquiry or Commissions of Investigation, there are currently no particular proposals being considered in this Department along the lines referenced in your letter. You will wish to note, however, that responsibility for policy and legislation in this general area rests with the Department of Justice.

The matter the committee had raised with the Department was the overall costs of the various tribunals of inquiry over the years. We asked if the Department of the Taoiseach was considering going in a different way for a more cost effective and a more timely process. I must say that I am disappointed with the response. The issue of costs, timelines and the time involved is not helpful in terms of the public trying to get to the truth, or what it costs to get to that truth. Does any other member wish to come in on this?