Deputy Seán Fleming:

Will the Chairman clarify one aspect? As regards the compellability powers we are seeking - I know it is not for any named individuals - are we looking into Rehab or the entire charities sector? About two months ago, I asked for a letter to be issued to each of the 25 other charities that have each received over €5 million in funding from the HSE, to find out details about senior executive pay and related matters. I understand from the last meeting that most, if not almost all, of those have been received. We have not had sight of those 25 letters back yet. It is quite possible that there might be nothing in them but it is also possible that there may be some things in those other organisations of a scale, nature or on the same lines as happened in the CRC or Rehab. I do not know. I would not like us to go for compellability in respect of Rehab. We should also ascertain if, in respect of the 25 letters referred to, there are two or three for which we would like similar powers.

We are not here because of Rehab. We started with the section 38 hospitals and moved on to the section 39 organisations that received substantial funding for contracts for work done. There are hundreds of them in the country, but there are at least 25 big ones from the HSE alone. Our work does not begin and end with just two. We are looking at the full charities sector, as Deputy O'Donnell said. I would like to get to the end of that even if it takes a while. We started with a lot of good work shining a light where it had never been shone before in some of these organisations. We need to complete that task in the interests of the charities, so that public confidence can be restored in them. Our compellability powers must include all the organisations we are potentially examining under the section 39 agreements or the 25 we have mentioned.

I do not think we will go to all 25 organisations but we need to look at that correspondence to see whether we need to talk to any of them.