Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not have any material with me which suggests how the fund is being managed, but I note that it is being managed by a former Secretary General of the Department of Defence who has been an Accounting Officer to the Houses and the Committee of Public Accounts. I have every reason to believe such an official is managing the funds in a prudent and careful way. I am willing, of course, at any stage to go to the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to discuss this or any other matter, but if the issue is around the management of funds, there is an Accounting Officer within my Department and it has been managed under the guidance of a former Accounting Officer. Certainly, I hope and expect the approach to the use of the moneys available has been careful and prudent and in accordance with the purpose intended - to support services for the very people whom the Deputy rightly says were abused in the past and neglected for many years. I hope the fund can meet many of their needs.

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