|
(Speaker Continuing)
[Chairman:   ] We might schedule a meeting with Forfás at the next available date. No. 4.6 concerns the financial statements of the Royal Irish Academy of Music for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.7 is the 2011 annual report of the Irish Greyhound Board-Bord na gCon. In this report, attention is drawn to the occurrence of a number of incidences of non-compliance with public procurement guidelines and a case of overpayment of prize money. Attention is drawn to note 24 regarding ongoing concern, so I propose that we invite the Irish Greyhound Board-Bord na gCon to appear before us on 17 October 2013, which is the next available date. Is that agreed? Agreed. No. 4.8 concerns the director's report and financial statements of Abargrove Limited for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.9 concerns the financial statements of the Irish Medicines Board for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.10 concerns the financial statements of Limerick Institute of Technology for the year ended 31 August 2012. No. 4.11 concerns the consolidated financial statements of the University of Limerick for the year ended 30 September 2011. No. 4.12 concerns the annual report and accounts 2012 of the Health Insurance Authority. No. 4.13 concerns the financial statements of the Adoption Authority of Ireland for the year ended 31 December 2012. No. 4.14 is the annual report 2012 of the Carbon Fund. No. 4.15 concerns the financial statements of University of Dublin, Trinity College, for the year ended 30 September 2011. No. 4.16 concerns the annual financial statements of Co. Limerick VEC for the year ended 31 December 2011. No. 4.17 is the annual report 2011 of the Marine Institute. No. 4.18 concerns the financial statements 2010 of the Church of Ireland College of Education. No. 4.19 concerns the financial statements 2011 of the Church of Ireland College of Education. No. 4.20 is the annual report 2011 of Irish Water Safety. No. 4.21 is the annual report 2011 of Ordnance Survey Ireland. Again, Ordnance Survey Ireland has bonus payments totalling €30,000 that were not in accordance with the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, so we might schedule that organisation to appear before us. In respect of No. 4.18, why are the financial statements not up to date?
Mr. Seamus McCarthy: I do not know. They were certified in 2011. Their submission to the Department or within the Department may have been overlooked. The committee has the 2010 and 2011 accounts.
Deputy Kieran O'Donnell: Is there any filing date for accounts?
Mr. Seamus McCarthy: No. We discussed this previously. There is no set filing date. There is an expectation that they would not be delayed after audit.
Deputy Kieran O'Donnell: Nos. 4.18 and 4.19 look as though they were filed together.
Mr. Seamus McCarthy: I would say so.
Deputy Kieran O'Donnell: One is a clean audit opinion and the other is not.
Mr. Seamus McCarthy: The notes in respect of 2011 drawing attention to the recognition of the deferred pension funding asset are quite usual with third-level education bodies. The late review of the effectiveness of the college's system of internal financial control was also noted.
Chairman: We will move on with our work programme. In the context of our work programme, we have agreed to invite the HSE to appear before us in November and have agreed 17 October as a possible date for the Irish Greyhound Board-Bord na gCon. We have ongoing work relating to the SIPTU national health and local authority levy fund, and once the legislation is commenced today we will make the application under that legislation. That is the advice we were given. Once we apply for compellability, we can then move ahead on that issue.
In respect of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, we have examined-----
Deputy Robert Dowds: Would that lead to an invitation to Mr. Merrigan to appear before the committee?
Chairman: Yes, as part of the application.
Deputy Robert Dowds: And he will be obliged to attend?
Chairman: Yes, if we get approval for compellability, but we will make that application once the legislation is commenced today. We have had hearings in respect of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and must schedule Paul Moloney and Professor Niamh Brennan to come before us. The clerk is arranging dates to suit those people. Mr. Moloney lives abroad but Professor Brennan has indicated she will come forward, so as soon as we have dates we can schedule them in our work programme. We are finalising the bank stabilisation report. We agreed to hear from NAMA first and then we will complete that report. It will be circulated to members in the next few weeks and we can then launch the report when it is completed. Are there any other matters in respect of the work programme that members want to raise?
Deputy Kieran O'Donnell: Down the page, please.
Chairman: We had hearings on the item relating to Waterford Institute of Technology and we have the final report from the independent investigation. That was published before the break and we will resume that matter on 10 October. I understand the Comptroller and Auditor General will publish the report some time around the end of this month, and from that report we can schedule whatever work is required. Are there any other matters or business?
We will agree our agenda for Thursday, 26 September 2013 when we will meet NAMA. The agenda will consist of NAMA's annual financial statements 2012. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Sitting suspended at 10.26 a.m. and resumed at 10.28 a.m.
Annual Report and Accounts 2012: Discussion with IDA Ireland
Mr. Barry O'Leary (Chief Executive Officer, IDA Ireland) called and examined.
Chairman: We are now dealing with item 7, the 2012 financial statements of IDA Ireland. Before we begin, I remind members, witnesses and those in the public gallery to turn off their mobile phones. Interference from mobile phones affects the sound quality and transmission of the meeting. I advise witnesses that, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a Member of either House, a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Members are reminded of the provisions of Standing Order 163 to the effect that they should also refrain from inquiring into the merits of a policy or policies of the Government or a Minister of the Government or the merits or objectives of such policies. I welcome Mr. Barry O'Leary, chief executive officer of IDA Ireland, and ask him to introduce his officials.
Mr. Barry O'Leary: I thank the Chairman and members of the Committee of Public Accounts for the opportunity to address them. I am accompanied by Mr. Dermot Clohessy, executive director, IDA Ireland, and Ms Regina Gannon, chief financial officer, IDA Ireland.
Chairman: I ask the Comptroller and Auditor General to introduce the accounts.
Mr. Seamus McCarthy: The primary role of IDA Ireland is to attract foreign direct investment to Ireland, including encouraging existing investors to invest further in the country. It does this by promoting Ireland as an attractive location to potential investors and through the payment of grant aid in appropriate cases and the development of industrial property.
|
Page of 16
