Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has expressed unease at the Dáil Public Accounts Committee holding hearings in public into his official response to reports produced by the spending watchdog.
Under Dáil rules the Minister for Finance responds to committee reports even if the subject matter concerns another department or agency. In a letter to the committee last week the Minister pointed out that up until recently hearings on such responses, officially known as "minutes" of the Department of Finance were in private. The committee is to consider today the minute of the Minister for Finance on the report for committee for 2003. It is also expected to discuss the minutes with officials of the Department of Finance next Thursday.
The committee has written to accounting officers in the Department of Finance, the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of the Environment seeking further clarifications on items in the minutes.
