PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 28 MAY 2009
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance:
Ms Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Danielle Best (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Roy Beggs
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Jim Wells
The meeting opened at 2.02pm in public session.
The Chairperson welcomed Mr Mark Babbington, National Audit Office; Mr John Dowdall, Comptroller and Auditor General; and Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts (TOA) to the meeting.1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
2. Matters arising.
Members noted a letter from a whistleblower in relation to the Rathlin ferry.
Agreed: Members agreed that the letter would be forwarded to the NIAO for them to conduct an investigation and report back to the Committee.
3. Minutes of the meeting on 21 May 2009.
Agreed : The minutes were agreed.
4. Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘The Investigation of Suspected Contract Fraud’.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘The Investigation of Suspected Contract Fraud’ from Mr Will Haire, Accounting Officer, Department for Education (DE); Mr John McGrath, Deputy Secretary, Resources and Accountability, DE; Mr David Cargo, Chief Executive, Belfast Education and Library Board; and Mr Paul Sweeney, Accounting Officer, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
2.27pm Mr Shannon joined the meeting.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
Members requested that the witnesses should provide additional information to the Clerk on some issues raised as a result of the evidence session.
3.40pm Ms Purvis left the meeting.
4.40pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
5. Any other business.
None.
6. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 11 June 2009 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.41pm.