John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The first item on our agenda is the minutes of the meeting of 25 September 2014. Are the minutes agreed to? Agreed. On matters arising from the minutes, last week we decided to publish the three reports that are now available. Members are invited to the audiovisual room for the launch of the reports at 2 p.m.

I refer to correspondence received since Thursday, 25 September 2014. No. 3B is individual correspondence. No. 3B.1 is correspondence, dated 22 September 2014, from an anonymous source regarding the Department of Education and Skills undermining the code of governance in the vocational education committee-education and training board sector, to be noted and forwarded to the Department of Education and Skills for a note on the issues raised.

No. 3B.2 is correspondence, dated 24 September 2014, from Nollaig Mac A'Chnoic regarding works carried out by Galway County Council in Connemara, to be noted. This is a letter to the Minister. As local authorities fall outside our remit, it is a matter between the Minister and Galway County Council. Should we expect a reply from the Minister? Out of courtesy, he should keep us up to date on it.

No. 3B.3 is correspondence, dated 26 September 2014, from Brendan T. Muldowney and Company Solicitors regarding the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's special investigation unit, to be noted. I raised matters of concern in respect of the special investigation unit at the previous meeting. We can deal with this when the Vote of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine comes before us. I will ask the clerk to contact Mr. Muldowney in order that he can send further details and the court findings related to this case. I received a number of pieces of correspondence late yesterday in respect of this and other matters relating to the special investigation unit. We will deal with it under correspondence next week. When is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine due to come before the committee?

Clerk to the Committee:

In two weeks time. We will be dealing with the fishery harbours.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We will put together the correspondence in respect of the special investigation unit in order that we will have a background in the context of that meeting.

No. 3B.4 is correspondence, dated 26 September 2014, from Mr. Thomas Reed in regard to Horse Sport Ireland, to be noted. Members can raise this matter at today's meeting

No. 3C is correspondence relevant to today's meeting. No. 3C.1 is correspondence, received on 25 September 2014, from the Irish Sports Council regarding the briefing material for today's meeting, to be noted and published. No. 3C.2 is correspondence, received on 30 September 2014, from the Irish Sports Council in regard to the opening statement, to be noted and published.

Reports, statements and accounts received since 18 September 2014 are listed from Nos. 4.1 to 4.7, inclusive. Does Mr. McCarthy wish to mention anything else?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

No, I think the points raised in the audit certificates are summarised in the table. My comment on the Mental Health Commission is the routine pointing out of the non-application of FRS 17.

In relation to Teilifís na Gaeilge, there is a disclosure in the accounts drawing attention to the fact that Government consent was required for the director general's contract but which was not obtained. It is in the course of seeking consent to that contract.

There are references to fraud instances in relation to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in its financial statements. Attention is drawn to a suspected fraud that occurred in the National Library of Ireland and also to the appointment of temporary staff without the necessary sanctions.

In regard to Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited, which is due to come before the committee next week, I point out that due to changes in legislation and the structure of the company, these financial statements are the last financial statements of the company that I will be auditing.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Did we get any response from Enterprise Ireland?

Clerk to the Committee:

Not yet, but I am putting it into the programme and we will work on it next week. We will keep it separate from Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Is the committee not proposing that it come in?

Clerk to the Committee:

Not next week.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We will get a note on it and we will set a date for it to come in. What happens when the Comptroller and Auditor General puts a note on the audit, in particular in regard to suspected fraud? Does the organisation have to do a separate report to the Comptroller and Auditor General?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

No. We would already be aware of the background to each of the cases. In a situation where there is fraud, the expectation is that management would report the matter to An Garda Síochána and there would be an appropriate investigation into that.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Are they obliged to inform the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General if they have reported it?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

Yes. We would expect them always to report an alleged fraud or an incident of fraud they have detected.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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These are the 2013 statements that have just been lodged. In the case of the National Library of Ireland, the accounts are for 2012. Why are they not lodging the accounts for 2013?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

The 2013 accounts are not finished yet. The 2012 accounts were late in being completed because of our inquiries into the events that are noted.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise for making the running but I want to find out the process. Was this fraud discovered in the context of 2012 accounts or before it?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

I cannot remember the detail of it but certainly we were aware of it at the time the 2012 accounts were being audited. We would have sought more explanations as to what was happening and whether due process had been followed.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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What were the answers to that?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

The matter is in the hands of the Garda Síochána or it was at the time to which the accounts relate. We suggested to the organisations that they needed to draw attention to that in their statement of internal financial control in order that the matter would be on the public record.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Can we write to each of these agencies, given the seriousness of the situation, asking them for a report of the up-to-date position in order that members would be aware of what is going on?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

We would be following up on these matters in the course of the subsequent financial statements audit.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Can that note on the National Library of Ireland be dealt with in the context of the Department of Finance accounts?

Clerk to the Committee:

There is a chapter in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report dealing with another cultural institution, the National Gallery of Ireland, using own resources, so we might actually tee them up to come in on the one day and examine both on the same day. It would be no harm to examine those issues at that time.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We had a commitment from Mr. Ó Donnchú, when he was at the previous meeting, that he would give us an update on the city of culture spend. He might do that.

Clerk to the Committee:

We might do that as part of it as well.

Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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Before we move on to the work programme, may I ask the Comptroller and Auditor General about the IMMA accounts for 2013?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

I do not know offhand but I will certainly find out and come back to the Deputy on it.

Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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They are late.

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

I do not believe they are completed.

Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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Could Mr. McCarthy find out for us?

Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

We can certainly find out and come back to the Deputy on it.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The revised work programme is on the screen. We prepared a revised work programme which takes account of the annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General. If members have any proposals arising from that report, I ask them to contact the clerk and we will have it revised again next week. That is the work programme and we will schedule the other work agreed today into that. If members have any suggestions, we will take them.

Do members wish to raise issues under any other business?

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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In regard to Enterprise Ireland, the clerk will supply a note about what I raised and what the committee is talking to him about. Would it be a good idea to consider asking IDA Ireland because it has been a long time since it was before the committee. We have spoken about asking it in during the past year, so could we invite both development agencies to come before us.

Clerk to the Committee:

That is a good idea.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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There is a new head of IDA Ireland, so there might be an opportunity to lay out the strategy.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We will write to both and we will get the dates set up. Can we agree the agenda for Thursday?

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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What is the procedure to be scheduled as one of the main contributors on the draft programme of work?

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy can link in with the clerk and express his interest.

Can we agree the agenda for Thursday, 10 October? We will deal with the 2013 accounts of Údarás na Gaeltachta and, in the second session, the 2013 accounts of Shannon Free Airport Development Company. Is the agenda agreed? Agreed. If there is no other matter, we will invite the witnesses to attend.