Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I know this one quite well. The building is a protected structure and the local authority has imposed an enforcement notice on it because it does not have the benefit of planning permission, yet there was a Department contract. There is no issue regarding who is occupying the building. There was a statutory instrument that allowed for commercial or industrial buildings to be used but that did not stretch to listed buildings. Buildings that are listed require planning permission because multi-occupancy could change the fabric of a building. I refer to everything within the curtilage of the site. A large number of mature trees have been felled without permission. There are a number of issues. There could be a scenario in which the local authority challenges the operator, but the contract is with the Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. That means one side of the State against the other. From that point of view, there are financial issues that cannot be ignored. I have no problem with this being referred to the other committee because it is not an issue that would naturally fall within the remit of the Committee of Public Accounts, until you start seeing-----