Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is right. They say that they compiled the list of relevant stakeholders and contacted them directly by email about the review, including all Departments, prescribed bodies, local authorities and Oireachtas Members who were contacted on 25 August 2017. They knew well when they were doing that, smack bang in the middle of August. Somebody rushed this off before their holidays and said they would have responses when they came back. If they are not coming back, all the better. We have seen that in every walk of life in the public service. Maybe it happens in the private sector too.

The next item is correspondence from Ms Dee Forbes, director general of RTÉ dated 9 July 2018 about RTÉ’s appearance before the committee and inaccuracies concerning RTÉ2+1. I think we have made the point about the obligation on public bodies appearing before the committee to provide clear and accurate information, and speak with candour. I will not read the entire letter. It states:

We very much welcome the supportive remarks that you made in terms of our plans on this issue on the day, and I am happy to confirm that as of 25 June 2018, consistent with the intentions set out in our 5-Year strategy, we submitted our formal application to the DCCAE for RTÉ2+1 and an extension of the hours for RTÉ One+1 as required under ... the Broadcasting Act. Like you, we hope that the approval of our request will be forthcoming...

Therefore, it is done. We all look forward to watching that by the time the next World Cup comes around because it did not have the matches on RTÉ2+1 on this occasion.

Correspondence No. 1476 from Mr. Robert Watt, Secretary General of Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, dated 10 July 2018, provides a note on the reasons some accounts are exempt from the general requirement to present their financial statement for audit by the end of March. We note and publish that. We will deal with that when we are looking at a review of submission on public accounts in the autumn, and the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Correspondence No. 1477 from Mr. Niall Burgess, Secretary General of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, dated 9 July 2018, provides follow-up on a number of matters raised during its appearance before the committee. We note and publish that.

We come to correspondence in category C related to individuals and any other private organisations.

Correspondence Nos. 1342, 1355 (i) to (vi), and 1362 regarding wards of courts funds were held over from the last meeting. We agreed at our meeting on 28 June to request a recently published report on this matter from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality. That committee has made a number of supportive recommendations. I propose that we write to the committee to keep us updated on the matter and for it to follow through on the recommendations. I propose we write to the individual to say that the Committee of Public Accounts cannot take up the matter separately given that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality has produced a detailed report on the matter. Extensive documentation was supplied to that committee in preparing its very comprehensive report. Obviously, it would not be appropriate due to Oireachtas time to duplicate the work it has already done. We fully support that committee in its work. As the sectoral committee, it is best placed to deal with this matter at the moment.

Correspondence No. 1350, which was held over, was received from an individual regarding a submission to the committee on the management of protected disclosures. The committee discussed this matter in private session and has agreed to meet the individual to inform itself of matters that can be brought to the attention of the Irish Prison Service. The secretariat will make the necessary arrangements for a meeting following the recess. We note the correspondence for now.

Correspondence No. 1386, which was held over, is an anonymous letter requesting the committee to make inquiries with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection from an individual who has made a protected disclosure over alleged wrongdoing in St. Munchin's community centre, Kileely, County Limerick. We discussed this in private on Tuesday and agree to write to the Department for a response. We now formally note this.

Correspondence No. 1429, which was held over, was received from Deputy Catherine Murphy, dated 26 June 2018, regarding the examination of the spending by EirGrid on a controversial wind-hub substation in County Laois. This matter is outside the remit of the committee. Does the Deputy wish to speak on it?