Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1970 > Committee of Public Accounts > Final Report - Northern Ireland Relief Expenditure

IMEACHTAÍ AN CHOISTE

Proceedings of the Committee

Dé Máirt, 15 Nollaig, 1970.

Tuesday, 15 December, 1970.

1. The Committee met at 4 p.m.

2. Members present.

The following members were present:—

Deputy Patrick Hogan (in the Chair), Deputies Barrett, Briscoe, R. Burke, E. Collins, FitzGerald, Keating, Nolan, MacSharry, Treacy and Tunney.

3. Mr. E. F. Suttle (Comptroller and Auditor General) was in attendance.

4. Mr. Séamus Egan S.C. was in attendance for consultation.

5. Ordered: that the Comptroller and Auditor General be invited to attend meetings of the Committee in an advisory capacity.

6. The Committee was informed that the Registrar of the Central Criminal Court had stated that a transcript of the relevant evidence at the recent Arms Trial was not available but that a tape recording had been made.

Ordered: that a transcript be made of relevant portions of the tape recording.

7. The Committee was informed that the Minister for Finance had sanctioned the incurring of expenditure on obtaining legal advice on the understanding that the advice related to the procedure which the Committee might adopt in connection with the examination of the Grant-in-Aid, having regard to the special nature of the examination.

8. The Committee considered the opinion of the Attorney General in relation to privilege, and the opinion of counsel in relation to the procedures adopted by it on 10 December, 1970.

9. The Committee considered and agreed to a draft Interim Report brought forward by the Chairman.

Ordered: to report to the Dáil accordingly.

10. Ordered: that Mr. C. H. Murray, Secretary, Department of Finance, be the first witness to be called.

11. Adjournment.

The Committee adjourned at 7.30 p.m. until 11 a.m. on Thursday next, 17 December.