John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We will continue our meeting in public session. The first item is the minutes of the meeting from 9 and 11 October. Are the minutes agreed? Agreed. On matters arising from the minutes, last week some members discussed CIE and its report. A report was to come back from the Comptroller and Auditor General. We raised issues with the Department on expenditure. The clerk assures me he will report back on the matter for next week's meeting.

We will finalise the final report on the hearings on the HSE in the course of next week. We will ask the HSE for information on the new drugs deal that has been agreed since the meeting in order that information on it can be included in the report. I will ask the clerk to write to the HSE to expedite the information.

Since our meeting on 11 October 2012 we have received correspondence from Accounting Officers, Robert Watt, Secretary General, forwarding the minute of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to the Committee of Public Accounts on VAT costs at the National Aquatic Centre. We should set that aside for consideration at another meeting. We deferred correspondence on the National Aquatic Centre from various meetings. It comes under the 3C.1 heading. I bring it to Deputy McDonald’s attention that we are noting and publishing that correspondence.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Okay.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Does she wish to comment on it or does she want to have it included for discussion as an item on the agenda in the context of the minute from the Minister?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I am happy that it is noted and published. I have subsequently been in correspondence on the procurement practices and I am awaiting a response. I have not heard anything. I will revert to the Chairman. I will raise the matter again if necessary.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We will put the report we received from the Minister as an item on the agenda and the Deputy can raise the issues of concern in that context.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Exactly. That is perfect.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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No. 3A.2 is correspondence from 16 October 2012 from Mr. Ian Matthews, chief financial officer at Trinity College Dublin, providing information requested by the committee at its meeting of 27 September 2012. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3C.3 is correspondence dated 27 September 2012 from Mrs. Barbara Bradley, Nurney, County Carlow, forwarding correspondence with the Minister for Education and Skills on Kilkenny College. It is to be noted and to be forwarded to the Department of Education and Skills for direct reply. We received further correspondence on the matter today. We will add it to the first item, note it, and send it to the Department for direct reply. Perhaps we will ask the Department to respond to the committee as well.

Is "direct reply" a direct reply to Mrs. Bradley?

Clerk to the Committee:

Yes.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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If they do not mind they might copy us on that also.

Clerk to the Committee:

No problem.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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No. 3C.4 is correspondence dated 12 October 2012 from Mr. Tom Geraghty, Secretary, Public Services Committee, Irish Congress of Trade Unions re invitation to appear before the Committee of Public Accounts. That is to be noted and published. We can deal with that when we deal with the work programme later.

No. 3D is documents relating to the committee meeting of 18 October 2012. No. 3D.1 is correspondence dated 12 October 2012 from the Private Secretary to the Secretary General of the Department of Defence re providing details of allowances. That is to be noted and published. No. 3D.2 is correspondence dated 12 October 2012 from Mr. Gerry Rooney, General Secretary, PDFORRA. That is to be noted and published. No. 3D.3 is correspondence dated 17 October 2012 from Colonel Brian O'Keeffe, General Secretary, the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, re opening statement. That is to be noted and published. No. 3D.4 is correspondence received on 17 October 2012 from Mr. Michael Howard, Secretary General, Department of Defence re opening statement. That is to be noted and published. No. 3D.5 is correspondence received on 17 October 2012 from Mr. Gerry Rooney, General Secretary of Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, re opening statement. That is to be noted and published. No. 3D.6 (a-i) is correspondence received on 17 October 2012 from the Department of Defence re details of allowances paid by the Department of Defence. That is to be noted and published.

No. 4 is reports, statements and accounts received since the meeting of 11 October 2012. We did not receive any. I presume they are all up to date.

No. 5 is a work programme. The programme is now on screen and the schedule of meetings regarding the hearings. I draw members' attention to Wednesday, 31 October 2012, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Arising from correspondence received this morning, ICTU will also be invited to that meeting. Is the work programme agreed? Agreed.

On Tuesday, 23 October 2012 at 2 p.m. we will deal with the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in the first part of that meeting, which will deal with political allowances. The second part of the meeting will involve a review of the Civil Service allowances. We will take both of those on that day. That completes our business.

We will bring in the Department of Defence representatives and the other representatives.