Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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Can we get agreement just so everyone understands? The HEA commissioned a report into the Waterford Institute of Technology. The report was completed but there was an issue because at the end of the day it transpired that the HEA may not have had the legal authority to commission that particular investigation. The authority to carry out such an investigation is only vested in the Minister and the Department. In the meantime, all those who contributed to the report and who had given information, which is out there, are swinging in the wind because they have no recourse as a result of everything they said. They are still employed in the organisation. The Department has confirmed that the only people who absolutely have the power to commission the investigation are the Minister and the Department. Can we agree that the committee should write to the Department at this point asking it to move to appoint an investigator under the relevant section of the legislation? We can have the technical matter clarified around the relevant section under which the inspector can be appointed. Is it an inspector or investigator?