Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to have an opportunity to be in the Seanad this evening. I thank the Senator for raising this issue because it affords me the opportunity to clarify to the House the matters referred to in correspondence on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan.

The correspondent wrote to the Minister for Education and Skills in regard to a number of events at County Cork VEC which arose during his time as a member of that vocational education committee, as Senator Bradford has outlined. The correspondent referred to certain matters being investigated by the Comptroller and Auditor General, which will be the subject of a special report in due course. The correspondent also asked the Minister for Education and Skills to initiate an investigation into the specific section of the Department which has been dealing with County Cork VEC and its management of those matters.

The Minister gave full and detailed consideration to the matters raised by this correspondent, including the request for an investigation into the specific section of the Department which has been dealing with County Cork VEC. She determined that an investigation was not warranted. She requested the Secretary General of her Department to advise the correspondent of her decision in regard to the request for an investigation and to respond on her behalf to the other issues raised in the correspondence. The correspondent met senior officials of the Department of Education and Skills, including the Secretary General, to discuss his concerns relating to County Cork VEC.

I clarify for the House that County Cork VEC was a body corporate established and operated in accordance with the Vocational Education Acts 1930-2001. The person accountable to the Committee of Public Accounts and other Dáil committees in law for the performance of County Cork VEC was the chief executive officer of that body. The accountability now lies with the chief executive officer of Cork Education and Training Board.

As previously indicated, the matters referred to in the correspondence are the subject of an investigation being conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Department of Education and Skills has co-operated fully with the Comptroller and Auditor General in regard to that investigation. The Department was recently provided with a draft report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, on which Senator Bradford has sought an update, and the Department has provided its observations to this. It is expected that the report will be finalised shortly by the Comptroller and Auditor General and published by that office at a time of its choosing.

I thank Senator Bradford for affording me the opportunity to respond to the House on this matter. As a former member of the Committee of Public Accounts, I had some dealings with the said individual and those allegations. I am very proud of the work that committee has done on a cross-party basis. It is important we have a forum where people, be they public representatives or citizens, can bring forward those concerns and that they can be investigated. I am pleased that the Comptroller and Auditor General will shortly publish a report on this and other matters.