John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)

Do any other members wish to speak? No. The Comptroller and Auditor General identified a number of areas where reports were furnished late. In the first instance, I propose that we write to those bodies whose statements the Comptroller and Auditor General identified to seek an explanation for their delay in publishing. Is that agreed? Agreed. Are members happy to move on? Okay.

We will now discuss correspondence received from the Departments and bodies under the committee's remit. First is No. R0167, correspondence from the National Gallery of Ireland. We discussed this in our private session. I propose we note and publish that. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Second is No. R0175, correspondence from the Arts Council. This was discussed earlier. Is it agreed to note and publish that correspondence? Agreed.

No. R0153 is from the Department of Education and Youth. This was discussed earlier. Is it agreed that we note and publish that correspondence? Agreed.

No. R0155 is from the City of Dublin ETB, which was again discussed earlier. Is it agreed to note and publish the correspondence? Agreed.

No. R0159 is from the OPW. It was discussed earlier. Is it agreed to note and publish the correspondence? Agreed.

No. R0162 is from the Department of Transport. Is it agreed to note and publish that correspondence? Agreed.

Are there any other actions relating to the correspondence that members wish to propose? No.

We will move on to our work programme. The following meetings were agreed. Next week, 10 July, we will have the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with representatives from the National Shared Services Office. On 17 July, we will have the Health Information Quality Authority. The committee will return after the summer recess on 18 September, when it will consider the accounts and statements laid over the summer and the correspondence received by the committee during the recess. For next week's meeting, I propose we bring forward a proposed schedule for the remainder of the year. We can discuss and agree our work programme at that stage. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Are there any other items the committee wishes to discuss? No.

I wish to flag an item we discussed in private session regarding the Garda Commissioner’s appearance at this committee last week. We discussed this earlier in private session with specific reference to a line of questioning from Deputy Bennett to the Garda Commissioner. She asked the Commissioner whether An Garda Síochána has any concerns that arms are being routinely smuggled through sovereign Irish airspace. The Commissioner said he was not aware of any reports made that An Garda Síochána could investigate. Deputy Bennett further asked An Garda Síochána whether it had checked any of these airlines, to which the Garda Commissioner stated that he had no information that would lead it to undertake such checks. It has been brought to my attention over the course of the week that The Ditch has run a piece on its publication which seems to dispute some of the comments made by the Garda Commissioner. It is only fair and appropriate that we write to the Garda Commissioner to ask him to clarify some of the comments he made because the information The Ditch has alleged certainly seems to dispute some of the remarks made by the Commissioner. I propose we write to the Commissioner to give him an opportunity to clarify the remarks he made. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank members. We will now suspend until we resume in public session at 10.30 a.m.