These are the Board Meeting minutes from 02 July 2015
We are happy to publish the minutes of our Board meetings so that Board activities and decisions are accountable. There is always a delay between the meeting held and the publication of the minutes. This is because the minutes must be approved before they can be published. Minutes are approved at the meeting after the meeting they are a record off. For example, if a Board meeting is held in March and the next meeting is held in April, the minutes of the March meeting will not be on the website until after the April meeting.
Present:
David O’Callaghan (Chair), Damian Casey, David Lane, Tom Daly, Austin Currie, Rosemary Adaser, Frances Harrington.
Apologies:
Phyllis Morgan, Katherine Finn
In attendance:
Mary Higgins (CEO), Lucy Kenny (Minute Taker)
The Chair opened the meeting by extending the best wishes of the Board to Phyllis Morgan for the speedy recovery of her son.
| Item | Discussion | Action | Time | |
| 1 | Minutes of Meeting held on 11th June 2015
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Amendment to the March 26th minutes under Correspondence & PQ in relation to correspondence to be recorded.
From: “The board agreed that it cannot consider correspondence from applicants in relation to their applications” To: “The board agreed that it cannot consider correspondence from applicants in relation to decisions made on their applications”. The Board agreed it has no involvement in the decision making process but that correspondence to the Board will be responded to by the CEO and reported on to the Board, after being brought to the attention of the Board. The minutes of the meeting were approved. Proposed by Tom Daly and seconded by Rosemary Adaser. |
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| 2 | Matters Arising
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(a) Performance Delivery Agreement
The CEO reported that DES suggested that meetings should be scheduled from September (b) Board decisions A register of decisions made by the Board, since its inception, and their status had been prepared for the Board and was circulated at the meeting (c) Insurance The CEO reported that a letter had now been received by the State Claims Agency confirming that Caranua is part of the scheme. (d) Audit and Accounting tenders The CEO reported that there had been three responses to the tender for accounting services and that the closing date for the tender for the Internal Audit Function was 6th July. These will be considered by the Audit Committee |
Selection to be decided by Audit committee |
September
Before next meeting |
| 3 | Mazars Report and implementation | The observations of the draft report submitted by the members were noted by the Chairman.
The Board agreed on the findings and recommendations of the report. This was proposed by Tom Daly and seconded by Rosemary Adaser. Following discussion the following was agreed:
Broadly, the revised application process to be:
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Guidelines to be revised Plan for audit to be prepared Damian to contact Mazars
Revised process to be implemented and implementation plan developed
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By September
By next meeting By next meeting
By September |
| 4 | Annual Report 2014
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The Board approved the revised Annual Report, subject to two minor corrections, with the amended version sent to DES. | Annual report to be sent to DES | Immediately |
| 5 | Governance Code Handbook | The Governance Handbook and code of practice were considered by the Board and was adopted, subject to the following amendments and clarifications:
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Recirculate when changes made
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By next Board meeting
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| 6 | Report on Applications
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The report on applications to the end of May had been circulated with the Board papers in advance. It was noted that the level of expenditure had continued to rise and about €2.5 million was paid out in that month, bringing the total to €22 million. | ||
| 7 | Report of the Audit & Risk Committee | Damian reported that he was finalising the 2014 accounts with the accountants and so they are not yet ready for the Board. Damian will work with the CEO on Fraud and procurement policies. | Accounts for 2014 to be presented
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Next meeting
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| 8 | Correspondence and PQ | Letter from Chair to Minister for Education & Skills was circulated to members and the PQs for this period noted. . | ||
| 9 | A.O.B
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The CEO reported that the Cessation Accounts of EFB had now been laid before the Oireachtas
It was agreed in principle that Board members who wished to receive a notebook, instead of Board paper, should do so. The CEO mentioned that an office space is being held for us and that a decision was needed urgently as there were other tenants interested in it. The Chair undertook to contact the DES directly on this. A request from the Whispering Hope Centre for a meeting with members of the Board was agreed, with a suggestion for the day of the next meeting. CEO to reply to other issues in letter. David O’Callaghan, David Lane and Frances Harrington to go the Aishlinn Centre after the Board meeting. Travel and subsistence rates, updated by the Department of Finance, and effective from 1st July, were circulated to Board members. |
Government framework for suppliers to be checked by CEO. Chair to contact DES
Letter suggesting date to be sent. CEO to reply |
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| 10 | Next meeting
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The next Board meeting will take place on WEDNESDAY 29th July 2015 at 10. 30 a.m. in the Department of Education & Skills, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 |
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