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

In the past seven days, we have had the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, RTÉ and the IFI before the committee. We have had a dysfunction overload in a week, the extent of which is highly unusual for the committee to see. IFI mentioned the vocational nature of many of its staff in its opening statement. I accept that and I accept their morale must be on the floor but it is not because of what is in the newspapers. All of this is self-inflicted damage. There would not be adverse newspaper articles if there were not a basis for such newspaper or media articles. IFI staff, rather than just the committee or the public, require a very serious consideration of how IFI will make an apology to them, especially those people who are working on fish kills and conservation issues.

That is self-evident.

I want to start by asking Inland Fisheries Ireland about the dormant accounts funding of €1.18 million. The Dormant Accounts Fund is confined - not everyone that would qualify for it - to disadvantage and disability. IFI obviously applied for funding. Three reports were subsequently produced at a cost of €50,000, which is extraordinary. They identified governance issues. As I have a limited amount of time and we are trying to cover a lot in a short period, I ask for short replies. There was an internal audit. Was that part of the three reviews? The internal audit found there was no justification for spending €8,500 on the ploughing championship and €17,500 on Leave No Trace. Can Ms Campion confirm that was a finding?