Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 26 October 2017

Public Accounts Committee

Business of Committee

9:00 am

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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Mr. Tony O'Brien is here. We will ask him to confirm that he is happy for us to get the report. Maybe we will ask him to get it directly and for him to provide it. That was our first port of call. He is now saying to write to Deloitte but we will short-circuit that process when he is here in public session.

The next item of correspondence is No. 819B, correspondence dated 20 October 2017 from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform confirming that the Department is awaiting information from the Department of Education and Skills on the committee's request for information regarding the terms and conditions of employment of certain State employees. Deputy Kelly mentioned this in passing the other day. We have received further correspondence. Something came in late last night and we have not had time to put it up on the system and circulate it. The members will get the more substantive reply after the meeting. We just have not had a chance. It came in very late last night and it has not been circulated. We will get it circulated as quickly as possible and it will be on the agenda for the next meeting because it will be listed as an item of correspondence received after today's meeting.

The next item is correspondence from or relating to private individuals and other organisations. Correspondence item No. 820C (i – ii) is correspondence dated 11 October 2017 from Ms Niamh Larkin, director of audit in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, updating the committee on correspondence regarding Meath County Council. A matter relating to the legal status of certain companies that have contracts with Meath County Council had been raised by an individual and this was referred by the previous committee to the Department in January 2016. The letter advises that the local government auditor for Meath County Council met the correspondent in July 2016 and has corresponded with him a number of times from January 2016 to date. She advised the correspondent in July 2016 that his correspondence did not fall within the definition of an objection, and on 14 July 2017 she confirmed to the correspondent that it was not intended to take any further action. A copy of the correspondence to the individual is attached. I propose we note that. It has been looked at locally by the local government audit. I propose we note it and move on because Meath County Council is not within the remit of this committee.

The next item is correspondence item No. 821C (i – ii), dated 17 October 2017, from Ms Patricia Quinn, managing director, Benefacts, enclosing information for the committee about the database of Irish non-profits comprising extensive governance, regulatory and financial data and analysis. This will be of interest to members. I think it has been circulated to all members of the Oireachtas.