Committees argue over charities and health top-up crisis

A private row between two of the Dáil’s most high-profile committees over who has the right to examine the health and charities top-ups crisis has spilled over into the public arena.

The tug-of-war over the investigation — and, it has been claimed, the related media attention — emerged after a planned health committee meeting on the issue was cancelled earlier this week when the public accounts committee intervened.

On Tuesday evening, health committee chair and Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer told his cross-party group that a scheduled top-ups meeting with HSE officials due to take place the following day had been “postponed”.

This was because the PAC complained to Oireachtas officials that it has yet to complete its own investigation, and Leinster House rules state that a second committee cannot begin their own inquiry until the PAC concludes its work.

An irate Mr Buttimer told the Irish Examiner the situation is “crazy” as it means “the group with responsibility for health cannot examine this health matter”.

He said his committee has now requested the clerk of the Dáil to attend an upcoming meeting to explain the decision, and why the group is effectively being “blocked” from opening its own investigation.

Mr Buttimer pointedly said the health committee is “not one to go ambulance-chasing”, adding that he “fails to see” why the group should be excluded.

He added that his group wishes to examine the governance and oversight structures relating to top-up charities, and as such is not examining how the public money itself is used.

Public accounts committee chair and Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness responded to the concern by insisting “as far as I’m concerned we have seizure of this”.

He dismissed claims the health committee’s proposed examination is about governance and not public money by stating: “governance is public money”.

While Mr McGuinness said he “does not know” the health committee’s view of the matter, he insisted there is no need for a public row as the financial scandal involving health-related charities is “not a health issue”.

This week’s flare-up is not the first time the health and PAC committees have appeared to clash over control of the high-profile top-ups investigation, which has dominated national headlines since last November.

During last month’s health committee meeting with HSE director general Tony O’Brien, Mr Buttimer publicly requested a HSE report on the issue to be given to his cross-party group before the PAC.

Mr O’Brien responded that the matter would be considered, but stressed the PAC is the body currently examining the issue.