Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 6 July 2017

Public Accounts Committee

Business of Committee

9:00 am

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is the final appendix. There are 17 pages in that. In fact, both UCC and CIT provided the same report. I see a reference to the internal audit committee in the reply from UCC also. During the course of the next couple of hours, we might have an opportunity to review that in private session at least. They appear to have provided good information. That is UCC, CIT and some information from DIT on the library issue. We note and publish all of those and will deal with them in private session before we complete our report later on today.

The next item is No. 649C, correspondence from Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills, in reply to a request from the committee for a response to correspondence sent to the committee by an individual on the use of public funds to obtain legal advice. I propose to forward the reply from the Department to the correspondent. We have dealt with it extensively and that is a further reply from the Department. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Next item is No. 650, correspondence of 23 June from an organisation on a complaint being investigated by An Garda Síochána on the winding up of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland in 2014. The committee has been copied with the correspondence but it is addressed to An Garda Síochána. As such, we note it but someone else is acting on it.

No. 651C is correspondence received from a number of individuals with regard to Clonkeen College in Blackrock, County Dublin. This was discussed last week and the secretariat has written to the Department of Education and Skills for a response. I propose that we write to the correspondents informing them that we are awaiting a response and will contact them when have it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 656C is correspondence dated 30 June 2017 from the chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland in response to a query sent by the committee about Dundalk racetrack and how much it actually costs, as well as various issues around loans and debenture which had been granted over the assets of the company. This issue goes back several years but we will note this and send a copy of that response to the individual who wrote to us.

No. 657C is correspondence dated2 July 2017 from an individual and concerns an investigation by the Revenue Commissioners into a complaint made by the individual as an employee. I propose we write to Revenue to establish the process for hiring companies to carry out investigations of this nature. The individual is, I believe, now a former employee. We will wait for a reply and ask Departments and public bodies questions on their processes and procedures if there is a loss to the taxpayer.

Before I complete the correspondence there are two more items I want to bring to the committee's attention. The first of these is item No. 658B, dated 3 July 2017, from Mr. John Barrett, executive director of human resources and people development at An Garda Síochána. The document refers to matters concerning evidence heard by this committee about Templemore Garda College that Mr. Barrett believes is incorrect. Other matters covered include the handling of a complaint about Mr. Barrett, a tracing methodology in respect of EU funds and a timeline of events from 2015 to present. We will note that and consider it as part of drafting our report. We had a meeting in private session yesterday and are scheduled to have another meeting next Tuesday. We can discuss that then. Would any member like to make any particular comment on this at this stage?