Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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There was never a suggestion from this side that there was anything untoward. The HEA has annual accounts and there are internal financial controls on page one. I would have expected the Department to have internal financial control mechanisms in place. I am pleased the system is in place now but I am surprised to hear it has not always been in place.

I had a quick glance at the memorandum. The Department's function, among others, is to hold the HEA to account in the performance of its functions. Will Mr. Ó Foghlú tell me how it does that?

My second question relates to the liaison agreement on page 7. It states that the Secretary General will meet the CEO and the chairman of the HEA on at least two occasions each year. I accept there will be other communications as well. Does that formal process happen and where and when did it happen?

We have received the annual financial statement from the HEA, which we are examining today. We are looking at more than one particular flight, in case someone thought that was the sole concern of the Committee of Public Accounts. The sum of €1.2 billion is at issue. I would hate to lose sight of the larger amount while we were talking about other important items. Is the annual report of the HEA scheduled for publication tomorrow or in the coming days? I do not refer to the financial statement but to the annual report.