Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 2 October 2014

Public Accounts Committee

Business of Committee

10:00 am

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn 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?