Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We will follow up for that information and come back with it.

No. R1790B is from Mr. Niall Cody, Commissioner, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, dated 9 March 2023, providing information requested by the committee arising from the meeting with Revenue on 8 December 2022. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. Deputy Munster flagged it but she is not present. I propose that we take that as dealt with today.

The next item of correspondence is No. 1806 from Oonagh McPhillips, Secretary General at the Department of Justice. It is dated 20 March and provides information we requested regarding tribunals of inquiries and commissions of investigation. It is proposed to note and publish that item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. I flagged this item because one of the issues is where it states the Department is not currently undertaking any research on international examples of best practice. I am at a loss as to why that would be the case, considering the length of time tribunals have dragged on in this country as well as their cost. Apart from what they have uncovered, which has been useful, there is the fact they cost so much money.

I propose to the committee that we inform the Department of the Taoiseach of our dissatisfaction with this response. This correspondence is coming from the Department of Justice and that is fair enough. However, it is my understanding that the Department of the Taoiseach is the overseeing Department in the State. We should forward this correspondence to the Office of the Taoiseach, pointing out that the statement in the last paragraph, that the Department is not currently undertaking any research on international examples of best practice, is not adequate and we are not happy with it, and asking what the review of it is. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We will move on to No. 1808 from Francis O'Donnell, who is the chief executive officer of Inland Fisheries Ireland. That is dated 20 March. It is in response to a request by the committee for an analysis and advice document by a legal firm. It is proposed to note and publish that item of correspondence and to consider it in private session. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 1811P, from Mr. Robert Watt, Secretary General of the Department of Health, dated 21 March 2023, provides information we requested regarding the contract for the national children's hospital. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. I flagged this item of correspondence because this is something we need to monitor continuously. We asked questions around the timeline for dealing with claims, the overall cost of construction, the supplementary budget, the legal position with the handover and outstanding claims, and what happens in that case. There are some answers in it but there are couple of things that are not there. It states the Department's position remains unchanged in that definitive updates on costs cannot be provided and that live contracting claims are subject to dispute. The correspondence points out that the assessment at this point of the capital programme for this year is that it has adequate provision to ensure the national children's hospital can meet its timelines, financial obligations and contractual obligations. It also states it is not envisaged a Supplementary Estimate process will be required in respect of the project for the coming year. A timeline is set out, which I have not seen before. We have been trying to get some information on this and it will be useful for members to have it. It relates to the different stages. If a claim is lodged, there is a further 20-day period for full substantiation of claims and all of that. It is useful for us to know that because there was a concern among the members that these things could drag on indefinitely. This is an issue we need to keep monitoring. Does Deputy Murphy wish to comment on it?