Sinn Féin TD for Laois-Offaly and the new Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Brian Stanley has welcomed the fact that the PAC will meet next Thursday September 17th for its first meeting since December 2019.

The PAC is set to be the first Oireachtas Committee up and running in the new Dáil term and will be in a position to use the Seanad Chamber for its initial meetings.

To enable the PAC to get on with its work quickly, Teachta Stanley has worked with Committee staff to arrange provisional meetings, which will include the HSE and the Department of Finance, subject to members’ approval.

Speaking today, Teachta Stanley said: “I am very happy to say that the Public Accounts Committee will be the first Oireachtas Committee to meet in the new Dáil term.

“Considering the PAC has not met since last December, as the new Chair I have made it a priority over the summer recess to ensure that the Committee is in a position to hit the ground running.

“I have worked with the secretariat of the Committee to secure the Seanad Chamber for our initial meetings – this will be important to the Committee as it will allow us to stay within Covid-19 restrictions and accommodate two guests in person at each meeting.

“It is also important that the PAC wastes no time in getting on with its work of being a watchdog for the taxpayer, which is why I have arranged five provisional meetings for the Committee, subject to the members’ agreement.

“If agreed by the Committee, our first guest will be Paul Reid of the HSE, followed by the Department of Health and NAMA, followed by the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure in late October after the budget.

“As the Chair of PAC, I want to work with all the members of the Committee to ensure that PAC performs to the highest standard possible.”