Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The advantage of being Leas-Cheann Comhairle is that I have read the answer. Forgive me, therefore, for being a little impatient because the Minister has not addressed my question. Does the Department intend to carry out an analysis, bearing in mind the 12 very succinct pages from the Comptroller and Auditor General, who pointed out that the Department had a nominee on the broad of directors but that nominee never received any minutes and had no role? The report stated that there was a nominee on the board with no role and that "the Department did not receive the terms of reference of the sub-committees of the Board, minutes of Board meetings ... [and so on]".

There has been a high turnover of personnel. Of the 28 original people, there are only two left. In addition, a declaration that was necessary regarding co-funding was never forthcoming. Where the funding was conditional on money coming from the private sector, that was not included. The performance delivery agreement did not include that it was conditional. There are serious questions here for the Department. I say that reluctantly because I sit on the Committee of Public Accounts. I drew to the Department's attention what happened regarding the pictiúrlann in Galway where the cost escalated. The Department was to learn from that.

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