Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

It is a clash of administrative culture, with one emanating from the Anglo-Saxon world of accountability and the other emanating from Rome, where accountability is rather opaque. We have seen some evidence of that in the past few days.

The Minister of State said the accounts will be laid before the House. Deputy Brian Hayes and I might consider asking the chairperson of the committee, if he is in a receptive mood, to get a resolution passed at our committee formally requesting that the Department of Education and Science sends a copy of those accounts to the committee rather than just lay them before the Houses. That might get over all the problems and not ruffle the clerical feathers on Marlborough Street.

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