Committee of Public Accounts: Business of Committee

Other matters discussed: …..

Deputy Alan Kelly: Vice Chairman: We are joined by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, who is accompanied by Ms Ruth Foley, deputy director of audit. Apologies have been received from the Chairman, Deputy Fleming, and Deputy Pat Deering.

The minutes of the meeting on 3 May will be ready next week. Are there any matters arising?

Deputy Catherine Connolly: There is something arising but I did not bring the details with me. It relates to Caranua. I will not delay the meeting but I wish to raise it now. I will also raise it again at the next meeting. It is about the review being carried out in respect of eligibility for the Caranua scheme. I asked a series of questions and the original answer I received was that an economist was going to be seconded from another body to carry out the initial phase of the review and that it was to be published. That has not happened, as far as I can see. We are now told that the second or some other part of the review will be published in the coming weeks.

Vice Chairman: The first part needs to be published.

Deputy Catherine Connolly: Can we get clarification from the Department of what review took place, whether there was a first phase, if the economist was seconded to carry out the review, if it is being done in phases and whether there are details available?

Vice Chairman: We will do that.

Deputy Catherine Connolly: I thank the Vice Chairman.

Business of Committee continued ……..