Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

I welcome the fact that there will be quarterly reports. I would suggest that three months is too long a period to wait for a set of accounts that do not appear to be audited. These are accounts which in the normal business world would be produced probably within two or three weeks of the end of the accounting period. One is looking at a three-month lag period from the end of the accounting period, and they are not audited. What is the delay in these accounts being produced?

The Government speaks of reporting every three months, that the first quarterly report shall be submitted to the Minister on or before 30 June, and subsequent reports within three months, and the Minister shall cause a copy to be laid before each House and shall send a copy to the committee. I would expect that in the normal course of events those accounts should be ready within two or three weeks of the quarter end and should be laid before the House within a four to six week period. What is the reason for the delay in these reports, first, being given to the Minister and, second, being laid before the House?

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