COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Apr 2015

Business of Committee

Vice Chairman

Are the minutes of the meeting of 23 April 2015 agreed? Agreed. We will move to correspondence received since 23 April 2015.

No. 3A.1 is correspondence dated 24 April 2015 from Mr. Tom Boland, CEO of the Higher Education Authority. He refers to the creation of a technological university in the south east, between Carlow and Waterford and points out that the process is still ongoing. We are waiting for Mr. Michael Kelly to complete his examination. I have spoken to Mr. Kelly and he has agreed to come before the Committee of Public Accounts once he has finalised his report.

No. 3A.2 is correspondence dated 28 April 2015 from Mr. Paul Dunne, Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The correspondence is to be noted and published.

No. 3B.1 is correspondence dated 22 April 2015 received from the HSE regarding ophthalmology services. The correspondence is to be noted and forwarded to Ms Anne Marie Hickey. The committee dealt with this last year. This interesting report from the HSE refers to the waiting lists in Waterford regional hospital and the fact that the backlog has been cleared. Many of the people who were on the waiting list for cataract surgery in Waterford regional hospital were operated on in five different hospitals while they were waiting for the post of the ophthalmologist to be filled in Waterford.

No. 2B.2 is correspondence dated 22 April received from the HSE regarding S. Carroll's contracts to be noted and forward to Mr. Carroll.

No. 3B.3 is correspondence dated 17 April 2015 received from Mr. Paul Begley, financial controller, WestWood Club Limited.

Deputy Shane Ross

This is slightly alarming.

I am not sure how it gels with our remit. We have a situation here where Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council seems to have farmed out the management of a State asset to a private company. It has done so in such a way that there is no access to information and no accountability. Also, where the correspondent attempted to get access to information he was told that, under the Freedom of Information Act, he could not get it. As a result, it seems to me that any county council can hand over the management of public assets to a private company and then there is a situation where the information is not accessible and the company could possibly make losses. In addition, it appears that there is no contract, according to this correspondence, with the private company since 2008. There is no contract signed or in existence seven years later between the private company and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. It is a serious matter that this is happening frequently. Obviously it is a way of putting public assets and public money out of the reach of ourselves and anybody else. I wonder if it is something that we could investigate or whether it is something we should refer to the relevant Department, ask it to investigate and then ask it in to answer questions about the matter.

Vice Chairman

I have been advised that it falls outside the remit of the committee. We could refer it to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, if that is acceptable.

Deputy Shane Ross

Yes. We could start by writing a letter to that Department. We should ask if this is normal practice and if it is a means of taking public assets, and the management of public assets, away from public scrutiny and accountability.

Clerk to the Committee

We can do so.

Vice Chairman

That is fine.

Clerk to the Committee

We can refer it to the local government auditor as well.

Vice Chairman

We will refer it to the local government auditor as well.

Deputy Shane Ross

I thank the Vice Chairman.

Vice Chairman

The next item is correspondence received from Ms Mary Farrell re response to the draft report on wards of court, to be noted.

Deputy Sean Fleming

Can we consider this matter as part of the report?

Vice Chairman

If the Deputy wants to then we will deal with the matter then. The next item is reports, statements and accounts received following our meeting dated 23 April. Do I need to go through the entire list?

Clerk to the Committee

No, it is only a portfolio.

Vice Chairman

All of these accounts are to be noted. The work programme can be viewed on the screen in front of Members. Next week we will have before us the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the following week it will be the Department of Finance. Is there any other business? No.

Let us agree the agenda for Thursday, 7 May. There is the Comptroller and Auditor General report and appropriation accounts 2013, Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and Chapter 8 - Operation of the Emergency Call Answering Service.