Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)

I welcome the witnesses and the officials from the Department. It is a very important Department. I do not envy them their job. In comparison, our job is a little easier. They are required to deliver better public services, living standards and infrastructure for the people of Ireland. I cannot think of a more important job. They are also responsible for governance, so there is a particular onus on them.

I am going to look at Votes 11 and 12. I will ask a few general questions. I do not wish to appear curt but I just want to get answers as best I can. That is all. I respect the work the witnesses do, but there is a particular onus on them in regard to governance and responsibility and their own Department showing example to all the other Departments.

I want to very quickly deal with something that arose today. We have already agreed that we will respond to this correspondence. It relates to the submission of annual reports. A letter from the Department of Transport points something out, although it does not really matter to the presentation of annual reports. Guidance was issued on 30 May by the Department of An Taoiseach on the management of these financial reports. Is Mr. Moloney aware of that? The consequences from our point of view is that those financial reports will not appear before us for scrutiny until the autumn because it appears they have to go to the Cabinet first. First, is Mr. Moloney aware of the guidance that was issued on 30 May? Second, will he explain how some annual reports go before the Cabinet and others do not? To us, it appears to be random. Will he answer those questions, please?