We will examine the 1999 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts, Votes 26, 27, 28 and 29. We will review paragraph 25 separately. The various documentation received from the Department of Education and Science has been circulated. There is one dated 14 June 2000 re internal audit arrangements for the institutes of technology which was requested at the meeting on 27 April on the examination of four institutes of technology; correspondence dated 12 July 2000 re revising accounting arrangements for the VEC sector which was requested at the meeting on 13 April on the examination of the financial statement of Tipperary North Riding VEC, which has not yet been noted, and examination on that will resume on 21 December; correspondence dated 18 July 2000 re financial control procedure in relation to institutes of technology as requested at the meeting of 27 April on the examination of four institutes of technology. We noted all those Votes at the time.
There is correspondence dated 27 September 2000 re tax relief on private funding for the third level sector, tax relief for disadvantaged schools, inventory of accommodation of primary posts, primary schools and school attendance - Breaking the Cycle project. They were requested at the examination of the 1998 Appropriation Accounts of the Department of Education and Science.
Before we commence, witnesses should be aware that they do not enjoy absolute privilege. Their attention is drawn to the fact that, as and from 2 August 1998, section 10 of the Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges and Immunities of Witnesses) Act, 1997, grants certain rights to persons who are identified in the course of the committee's proceedings. Persons identified have a right to come back on the issues. I also remind Members, notwithstanding this provision in legislation, of the long standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.