Below are questions asked by TDs in Dáil Éireann, relating to Caranua

Education Finance Board

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien   asked the Minister for Education and Skills   further to Parliamentary Question No. 258 of 8 July 2014, the reason the information requested is not available; if Caranua know the number of persons who applied for payments from the old Education Finance Board who subsequently applied for payments from Caranua; the reason providing the numbers alone would breach their data protection obligations, in view of the fact that Parliamentary Question No. 259 demonstrates that Caranua has contacted recipients of payments from the Education Finance Board.  [31350/14]

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan):   As explained to the Deputy in response to his question of 8 July, Caranua is a separate body from the now dissolved Education Finance Board. While Caranua performs certain functions associated with the Education Finance Board these are limited to matters relating to the finalisation of latter organisation’s affairs consequential on its dissolution. Caranua does not collect the information in question, therefore it is not available and the issue of data protection does not thus arise. In the case of the category of persons referred to in the Deputy’s question, the position is that it was necessary for Caranua to contact the persons concerned to clarify the position in regard to a funding commitment given to them by the Education Finance Board.

Appeals Officer

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien   asked the Minister for Education and Skills   further to Parliamentary Question No. 257 of 8 July 2014 the legal basis for excluding the actions of the independent appeals officer of Caranua. [31349/14]

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan):   Section 22 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund, Act 2012 provides that a person affected by a decision of a decision maker of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (Caranua) may appeal to an independent Appeals Officer. As I explained in response to the Deputy’s question of 8 July a person affected by a decision of the Appeals Officer can appeal to the High Court on a point of law within 28 days of receipt of the Appeals Officer’s decision. I am satisfied that these arrangements provide an appropriate framework for dealing with appeals of decisions of Caranua. I wish to confirm that Caranua comes under the scope of the Ombudsman Acts 1980 to 2012 and that its administrative actions are thus subject to review by the Ombudsman.