Item

Discussion

Decision/

Action

Time

1. Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 18^th February were approved, subject to noting of the special meeting held on December 17^th last.  Proposed by Tom Daly and seconded by Austin Currie.

Approved

2. Report on action points arising from last meeting

It was noted that all action points are on the agenda.

3. Matters arising

(a) Office premises

Arising from the decision at a previous meeting, potential premises have been identified.  The Board questioned whether it was prudent to leave the current premises, given that they were rent free, although it was agreed that they are unsuitable; and requested a business case to be made.

(b) Recruitment

The report on recruitment was noted and it was agreed that the DES and an external person would be involved in the interviews.

Letter to be sent to DES requesting that they find us alternative premises.

Immediate

4.  Proposals on targets, limits and criteria

A presentation was made by members of the subcommittee tasked with making recommendations.  The recommendations were discussed and considered in detail and it was agreed that:

• Needs must be at the centre of all assessments and approvals
• Applicants with live applications can be offered a choice of the current or new system
• The new arrangements will be reviewed in 12 months.

With these additions, the Chair thanked the subcommittee for its work and formally proposed the adoption of the recommendations.  This was seconded by Tom Daly and unanimously supported.

Proposals formally adopted

From 1^stJune

4. Report on applications

The content of the report to the end of March was noted, with the additions as agreed at the last meeting. The CEO reiterated the deficit in data management and analysis on the staff.

The report on cheque cancellations was noted by the Board.

Further analysis of applications awaiting assessment to be prepared.

Next meeting

5. CEO report, including implementation of review recommendation

The CEO report was considered by the Board.  It was agreed:

• That we should enter into the agreement as proposed with SEAI
• That we should go tender for preferred suppliers for all services
•  That aggression at outreach events is not acceptable and that they should be discontinued if this is the general experience

Tender for preferred suppliers

Finalise contract with SEAI

Immediate

6.  Report of Audit and Risk sub committee

Damian provided a report on the committee meeting which was held on 12^th April and included Pauline Poots from Capita.  Capita are now finalising their review of governance and will move on to the development of a risk management framework.

Report noted

7. For information

a)     Tenders and contracts

The contracts as presented were noted

b)    PQs and correspondence

There was just one PQ and no correspondence.  Attention was drawn to an article which had appeared in a newspaper about Caranua and complaints received.

8.  Annual report

The Chair will revert to the CEO with comments and the final report will be circulated to the Board before being published.

Final draft to be circulated before publication.

9.  A.O.B.

Two new policies – Acceptable Payments and Confidential Disclosures – have been prepared and these were approved by the Board.

Policies approved

10.  Next meeting

It was agreed to hold an additional Board meeting on 31^st May next, to review implementation of the new criteria and that the same meeting could accommodate a session on governance and one strategic planning by Capita and Mazars respectively.

Meeting on 31^stMay