John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Before we begin the business of the Committee I want to welcome Deputy Áine Collins who has replaced Deputy Paschal Donohoe

Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I too look forward to working with the committee.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Are the minutes of the meeting of 18 July, 2013 agreed? Agreed.

No. 3A.1, correspondence dated 16 July 2013 from Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills, providing additional information requested at the meeting of 4 July 2013. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3A.2, correspondence dated 17 July 2013, from Mr. Tony O’Brien, director general designate, Health Service Executive, HSE, providing information previously requested regarding the medical card scheme. It is to be noted and published. We will return to the issue of the cost to the State of payments in respect of those who do not have eligibility for medical cards when we meet the HSE, most likely in November.

No. 3A.3, correspondence dated 25 July 2013, from Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills providing additional information requested at the meeting of 4 July 2013. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3A.4, correspondence dated 26 July 2013, from Mr. John Moran, Secretary General, Department of Finance, records relating to bank stabilisation measures. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3A.5, correspondence dated 26 July 2013 from Ms Geraldine Tallon, Secretary General, Department of Environment, Community and Local Government providing additional information requested at the meeting of 27 June 2013. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3A.6, correspondence dated 14 August 2013, from Ms Laura Burke, director general, Environmental Protection Agency, providing additional information requested at the meeting of 27 June 2013. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3A.7, correspondence dated 19 August 2013, from Mr. John O’Sullivan, commissioner of valuation, Valuation Office providing additional information requested at the meeting of 18 July 2013. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3B.1, correspondence dated 17 July 2013 from Mr. Edward Stevenson on the hepatitis C tribunal. It is to be noted and a copy forwarded to the Department of Health for a further note on the issues raised. We have had previous correspondence from this individual.

No. 3B.2, correspondence dated 17 July 2013 from Mr. Kevin Fitzgerald, Corbally, County Limerick, on digital audio recordings and the Courts Service. It is to be noted and a copy forwarded to the Courts Service for a further note on the issues raised. We have had previous correspondence from this individual.

No. 3B.3, correspondence dated 26 July 2013 from Dr. Ambrose McLoughlin, Secretary General, Department of Health providing a note previously requested regarding Tamiflu. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3B.4, correspondence dated 24 July 2013 from Bernie Lloyd, PRO Davitt Road-Windmill Residents Group on the Wexford courthouse project. It is to be noted. We have had a large volume of correspondence on the siting of this courthouse in Wexford. While we can forward on this letter to the Courts Service, there is little scope for the committee to intervene in this issue and Ms Lloyd has already been informed of this.

No. 3B.5, correspondence dated 7 August 2013 from Mr. Aidan Dunning, Secretary General, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on Vote 30, funding public broadcasting. It is to be noted.

No. 3B.6, correspondence dated 11 August 2013 from Mr. Pat Geoghegan, secretary, Irish Environmental Forum on appearance of the Environmental Protection Agency before the committee on 27 June 2013. It is to be noted. Mr. Geoghegan will be advised of the position.

No. 3B.7, correspondence dated 6 August 2013 from Mr. Hugh Rance on legal cases against County Cork VEC. It is to be noted. Issues relating to County Cork VEC are likely to come before the Committee when the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on its accounts for 2011 is finalised.

No. 3B.8, correspondence dated 30 August 2013 from North East Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association forwarding correspondence sent to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is to be noted and published. The annual accounts of Bord na gCon are before the committee for noting today. As we have had a lot of correspondence on this body, I will deal with separately when dealing with the accounts.

No. 3B.9, correspondence dated 31 August 2013 from Mr. Frank Ahern on matters arising from meeting on 20 June 2013 on the SKILL project. It is to be noted. We will deal with this matter when we resume the hearings with SIPTU.

No. 3B.10, correspondence dated 2 September 2013 from Mr. Paul Dillon, Irish Greyhound Board. This is to be noted. This issue is related to the correspondence at No. 3B.8. I will deal with the Bord na gCon issue when noting the accounts.

No. 3B.11, correspondence dated 22 July 2013 from Deputy Mary Lou McDonald forwarding correspondence from Montenotte Park Residents Association. It is to be noted. Correspondence No. 3B.12 refers to it also.

No. 3B.12, correspondence dated 5 September 2013 from Mr. Sean O’Foghlú, Secretary General, Department of Education & Skills on a response to letter from Montenotte Park Residents Association regarding use of funds for Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Álainn. It is to be noted and a copy forwarded to the Montenotte Park Residents Association. The local residents association and the Department are at odds on the building of this Gaelscoil. It is a matter that has been raised with this and the previous committee. The Comptroller and Auditor General is to review all the papers and if there is an issue that requires further investigation he can do so.

No. 3B.13, correspondence dated 20 August 2013 from Mr. Eugene Mitchell, Ballinasloe, County Galway, on flooding in Ballinasloe and alleged waste of public money by Galway County Council. It is to be noted. While this is primarily a matter for the local authority, funding was provided by the Office of Public Works, OPW, to alleviate flooding and it appears from Mr. Mitchell that this funding was wasted because the problem has not been solved. As public moneys are involved here, the OPW should be satisfied that the co-funding it provided in this case was used to solve the problem. If it did not, as appears to be the case, it should get answers from the council on what it intends to do. We will also ask the reply to the OPW’s request to be sent to the committee.

No. 3C.1, correspondence received 16 September 2013 from Mr Barry O’Leary, chief executive officer, IDA Ireland, on briefing paper on matters to be considered at today’s meeting. It is to be noted and published.

No. 3C.2, correspondence received 18 September 2013 from Mr Barry O’Leary, chief executive officer, IDA Ireland, on his opening statement. It is to be noted and published.

The following items concern reports, statements and accounts received since the meeting of 18 July 2013. No. 4.1, annual report of the National Pension Reserve Fund; No. 4.2, annual report and accounts for the National Treasury Management Agency; No. 4.3, financial statements for the National Development Finance Agency; No. 4.4, financial statements, Enterprise Ireland; No. 4.5, annual report for Forfás. In this, attention is drawn to non-effective expenditure of €1.4 million incurred during 2012 on rent and associated costs related to unoccupied office space.

We might schedule a meeting with Forfás at the next available date. No. 4.6 concerns the financial statements of the Royal Irish Academy of Music for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.7 is the 2011 annual report of the Irish Greyhound Board-Bord na gCon. In this report, attention is drawn to the occurrence of a number of incidences of non-compliance with public procurement guidelines and a case of overpayment of prize money. Attention is drawn to note 24 regarding ongoing concern, so I propose that we invite the Irish Greyhound Board-Bord na gCon to appear before us on 17 October 2013, which is the next available date. Is that agreed? Agreed. No. 4.8 concerns the director's report and financial statements of Abargrove Limited for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.9 concerns the financial statements of the Irish Medicines Board for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.10 concerns the financial statements of Limerick Institute of Technology for the year ended 31 August 2012. No. 4.11 concerns the consolidated financial statements of the University of Limerick for the year ended 30 September 2011. No. 4.12 concerns the annual report and accounts 2012 of the Health Insurance Authority. No. 4.13 concerns the financial statements of the Adoption Authority of Ireland for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.14 is the annual report 2012 of the Carbon Fund. No. 4.15 concerns the financial statements of University of Dublin, Trinity College, for the year ended 30 September 2011. No. 4.16 concerns the annual financial statements of Co. Limerick VEC for the year ended 31 December 2011. No. 4.17 is the annual report 2011 of the Marine Institute. No. 4.18 concerns the financial statements 2010 of the Church of Ireland College of Education. No. 4.19 concerns the financial statements 2011 of the Church of Ireland College of Education. No. 4.20 is the annual report 2011 of Irish Water Safety. No. 4.21 is the annual report 2011 of Ordnance Survey Ireland. Again, Ordnance Survey Ireland has bonus payments totalling €30,000 that were not in accordance with the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, so we might schedule that organisation to appear before us. In respect of No. 4.18, why are the financial statements not up to date?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

I do not know. They were certified in 2011. Their submission to the Department or within the Department may have been overlooked. The committee has the 2010 and 2011 accounts.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Is there any filing date for accounts?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

No. We discussed this previously. There is no set filing date. There is an expectation that they would not be delayed after audit.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Nos. 4.18 and 4.19 look as though they were filed together.

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

I would say so.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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One is a clean audit opinion and the other is not.

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

The notes in respect of 2011 drawing attention to the recognition of the deferred pension funding asset are quite usual with third-level education bodies. The late review of the effectiveness of the college's system of internal financial control was also noted.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We will move on with our work programme. In the context of our work programme, we have agreed to invite the HSE to appear before us in November and have agreed 17 October as a possible date for the Irish Greyhound Board-Bord na gCon. We have ongoing work relating to the SIPTU national health and local authority levy fund, and once the legislation is commenced today we will make the application under that legislation. That is the advice we were given. Once we apply for compellability, we can then move ahead on that issue.

In respect of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, we have examined-----

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Would that lead to an invitation to Mr. Merrigan to appear before the committee?

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, as part of the application.

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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And he will be obliged to attend?

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, if we get approval for compellability, but we will make that application once the legislation is commenced today. We have had hearings in respect of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and must schedule Paul Moloney and Professor Niamh Brennan to come before us. The clerk is arranging dates to suit those people. Mr. Moloney lives abroad but Professor Brennan has indicated she will come forward, so as soon as we have dates we can schedule them in our work programme. We are finalising the bank stabilisation report. We agreed to hear from NAMA first and then we will complete that report. It will be circulated to members in the next few weeks and we can then launch the report when it is completed. Are there any other matters in respect of the work programme that members want to raise?

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Down the page, please.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We had hearings on the item relating to Waterford Institute of Technology and we have the final report from the independent investigation. That was published before the break and we will resume that matter on 10 October. I understand the Comptroller and Auditor General will publish the report some time around the end of this month, and from that report we can schedule whatever work is required. Are there any other matters or business?

We will agree our agenda for Thursday, 26 September 2013 when we will meet NAMA. The agenda will consist of NAMA's annual financial statements 2012. Is that agreed? Agreed.