John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Are the minutes of the meeting of 22 October 2015 agreed? Agreed. On matters arising from the minutes, last week we had a note on HL Commodity Foods which was circulated to members. The clerk is doing a background note to inform members of where the issue stands now and we will have it next week.

We will now deal with correspondence from Accounting Officers and Ministers. Correspondence has been received from the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills, Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú on UCC's compliance with the public sector pay policy, to be noted and published. Correspondence dated 30 October 2015 has been received from Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú in regard to the delay in the presentation of audited account of Mary Immaculate College, to be noted and published.

Correspondence dated 3 November 2015 has been received from NAMA, a follow-up to our meeting on 1 October 2015. It relates to a legal position and I suggest we refer that letter to the legal advisers to the committee and ask for their response to the matters raised to give us a clear understanding of what action might have to be taken after that. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We now come to individual correspondence. No. 3B.1 is correspondence dated 12 October 2915 from Ms Frances Ryan Chairman of the Board of Directors, New Ross Community Hospital Limited, to be noted. The issue relates to the delay in registering nurses, a matter on which the Secretary General of the Department of Health has promised to report back to the committee. We will forward this correspondence to the Department so that it can be considered as part of its response. The situation with the Nurses and Midwifery Board of Ireland is not satisfactory. I raised this with the Secretary General of the Department and asked that it be investigated. Those returning to Ireland who want to have their qualifications acknowledged are delayed in taking up employment because of the inefficiencies of that system. We might send a reminder to the Secretary General of the Department requesting a speedy response.

No. 3B.2 is correspondence dated 30 September 2015 from Mr. John McCarthy, Secretary General Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in regard to the application of non-domestic water charges by Kildare County Council, to be forwarded to Ms Julie Gibbons.

We will now deal with documents relating to today's meeting. Nos. 3C.1 and 3C. 2 are the briefing documents and opening statement for today's session, to be noted and published. No. 3C.3 is reports, statements and accounts received since our meeting on 22 October. In regard to No. 4.1, I will ask the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. McCarthy, to take us through his comments on the National College of Art and Design.