Results 461-480 of 5,134 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: In this instance, are we not still awaiting full delivery of all the units?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Okay, so we are still awaiting some of these to be fully given out to-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: In my view, if we are still waiting that completion, there seems to be urgency required in terms of the tendering rather than the urgency in terms of the delivery, and I think that is concerning for people. Regarding the after effect, we have all stated on the record that we are deeply concerned about the cost of this. Actually, before I go into that, one of the questions asked by Deputy...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: We will find out in due course and that information will be public. We all hope it will be. That is what we would expect. Regarding the costs being revised, they were revised on multiple occasions. Between July 2023 and January 2024, they were revised on at least four occasions. In seven months, we have four cost revisions. Would that be considered normal for a project?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: I appreciate it is not a normal project because it is costing the taxpayer €289 million. I saw from another report that in 2023 the OPW's turnover was approximately €654 million. Is that correct? Therefore, I take it that it is a significant project. However, with cost revisions, is it the taxpayer who takes all the risk? Is it our side that takes all the risk? What risk...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: It is not on the OPW but it seems to me that it is always the taxpayer that ends up bearing the risk when it comes to cost overruns. Again, that is not on the OPW; it is on this House. It is on us to provide the regulation and the legislation to ensure that does not happen in the future. Again, that is not on the OPW. Regarding going forward with these modular homes, what is the story...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Then it goes on.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: I appreciate that is not on the OPW but I definitely would like to see who ends up doing it, where that money is and what the cost will end up being. Regarding the bike shelter, for those watching, it is important to note that it is not a bike shelter and not a bike shed, as has been reported. If it was a bike shed, you might understand but it is simply a bike shelter. I note that Mr....
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as teacht os comhair an choiste. I appreciate that Mr. Conlon has come in to answer these questions post the decision-making, although he was not there. It can be difficult to answer for the actions of others but I appreciate that he has come before the committee. I want to start with the modular homes. Could he confirm to me what the...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Does he agree that it would not be 120%?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: The issue is that it was 120%. I want to get to the bottom of why that is the case. We had the LDA before the committee just two weeks ago. We found out that the production of non-modular units in Shanganagh cost €409,000, which seems like a huge sum of money, but we are talking about modular homes with a lifespan of 50 years to 60 years – rather than permanent structures...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: We have all said there was an utter disregard of taxpayers' money in this instance. That is what people think. Could Mr. Conlon answer my question on that?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Then why were we told initially that it would be €200,000? It is a massive increase.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Who was responsible for the underestimation? Was it the contractor?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Which teams?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: Which teams?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024) Mairéad Farrell: We have the public sector spending code for a reason. What I understand is that the Department of children and equality did not prepare a strategic assessment report or business case reports, preliminary and final, as required by the code for projects costing more than €100 million. Does that not seem strange?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)
Mairéad Farrell: An issue came up with me recently is that of somebody in digs who, as part of their SUSI application, was asked to provide a utility bill. Obviously if a person is in digs, he or she will not have a utility bill. Because of the lack of regulation in the sector, some students are going to pay cash. It does not give them the details. Is that a further reason to have digs regulation? Have...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)
Mairéad Farrell: Another big issue that comes up a great deal is independence and proof of independence. I am not exactly sure, to be totally frank, how to change that. However, the whole issue of independence and people trying but not being able to prove their independence to get a grant s probably one of the main issues that I come across when it comes to SUSI. Do witnesses agree that is an issue?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)
Mairéad Farrell: There was not a massive amount of change in the SUSI grants in the budget. Some of the thresholds changed. I asked the Minister how many students that would impact. He said about 3,000. If I am not mistaken, there are 15,000 in Galway alone, so it is impacting a very small number of people. Has USI noticed more and more that while people might think at the start that they are able to go...