Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Public Accounts Committee

Business of Committee

10:10 am

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Is 27 November okay with everyone? Agreed. We will have the have the list of witnesses next week.

Next is correspondence from Accounting Officers. There is correspondence dated 18 July 2014 from the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality relating to the PARC Road Safety group. This is to be noted and a copy forwarded to PARC Road Safety. There is correspondence dated 18 July from the HSE relating to information requested at the meeting on 19 June 2014 re implementation of the Haddington Road agreement. This is to be noted and published. There is correspondence dated 29 July 2014 from the HSE relating to further information requested from a meeting on 12 June 2014. This is to be noted and published. There is correspondence dated 31 July 2014 from the Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding information requested at a meeting on 26 June 2014 regarding local authority annual financial statements. This is to be noted and published. There is correspondence dated 2 September 2014 from the HSE relating to further information requested at the Committee of Public Accounts meeting of 3 July. This is to be noted and published. There is correspondence dated 2 September 2014 from the Garda Commissioner regarding information requested at the Committee of Public Accounts meeting of 10 July. This is to be noted and published.

There is correspondence dated 8 September 2014 from Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding further information requested at a meeting on 26 June. This is to be noted and published. There are several issues arising relating to accountability, in particular in respect of major public projects such as the Poolbeg incinerator. The Secretary General is of the view that the Committee of Public Accounts could have an oversight role. The set-up costs of Irish Water are also included in his comments. We should follow up on this given the costs involved. Perhaps we will ask the clerk to contact the Department and get further information on how we can progress the content of the Secretary General's letter. Is that agreed? Agreed.

There is correspondence dated 22 July 2014 from the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills relating to top-up payments at fee-paying schools. This is to be noted and a copy forwarded to Dr. Bríd McGrath, who raised the issue.