James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I am sorry for jumping the gun on the Arts Council. I was led astray by Deputy Paul McAuliffe. I thought he would know what he was doing.

I do not know if this is the appropriate moment to do it but I would like to formally request that we do not confine our witness list in respect of the Arts Council to just the director, who I believe is the Accounting Officer, and that we also ensure we have the board of the Arts Council, including the chairperson and other representatives. If we read the statement of internal control, which the Comptroller and Auditor General has brought to our attention in the financial accounts, it is very much the position of the council, that is, the board, that it had robust governance and constant review of the project. I do not see how we can get the answers to those questions unless we also probe members of the board in addition to the Accounting Officer.