Results 7,781-7,800 of 8,844 for speaker:Verona Murphy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Remuneration of Senior Civil Servants: Discussion (2 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: I thank the Chair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Remuneration of Senior Civil Servants: Discussion (2 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: I will be very brief. I thank Mr. Fraser for coming in today. My questions are also brief. Is it correct that no actuarial analysis was done of whether the appointment concerned was going to cost us much more if we appointed an internal candidate from the Civil Service?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Remuneration of Senior Civil Servants: Discussion (2 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: Would it not make sense to do that, if there were two candidates, one internal and one external, of the same calibre? Would it not make more sense to do that, given that may be a very distinguishing factor? I refer to how the public's money is spent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Remuneration of Senior Civil Servants: Discussion (2 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: Does Mr. Fraser take my point?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Remuneration of Senior Civil Servants: Discussion (2 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: I appreciate that but does Mr. Fraser take my point? He has said that the process has never been done this way but should this aspect be a consideration?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Remuneration of Senior Civil Servants: Discussion (2 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: I would certainly appreciate it. I am also a member of the Committee of Public Accounts and we should be offering the best we can in respect of public expenditure. The title of the Department is that of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. If nothing else, and if we cannot stop what has happened, we should most certainly be able to create a process whereby we have covered all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Remuneration of Senior Civil Servants: Discussion (2 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: Out of the 23 applicants, Mr. Fraser felt that the best candidate was Mr. Watt.

Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: I am sharing time with Deputy Matt Shanahan, who is probably on his way. I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward the Bill. I commend Deputy Doherty on all of the work he has done, over many years, in highlighting issues in our insurance industry. He has brought to light many important issues and has been relentless in his efforts to try to deal with them. This Bill would require...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: 386. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the provisions she is taking to increase special class capacity in County Wexford for specific learning disability reading for the 2021-2022 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29090/21]

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Good afternoon, everybody - or good morning still, I should say. I am up early enough for it to be the afternoon. I welcome everybody to the committee meeting. As we have only five minutes each, I want to make a couple of observations that have been brought to my attention. One is the theory test going online. It appears it is not the only problem, in that you have to have a certain type...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: I would be delighted with that. It would suit me fine to submit it to the committee. That would be great. I ask that Mr. Spratt do the same in respect of my next observation. From the point of view of value for money and the Committee of Public Accounts, I understand why the search and rescue service-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: -----contract, as the Department outlined in its letter. However, it has been brought to my attention that significantly, €7.5 million was paid out perhaps over ten years ago in respect of night vision goggles in addition to CHC helicopters. As the training has yet to be completed, it would appear that those goggles are not being used in the service at all. I need to understand how...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: No. If Mr. Spratt could just submit exactly the history of the matter, where it is at and where it is falling down because it is a significant amount of money and it is ten years old. I have some other questions, so if Mr. Spratt could submit a report to the committee on that, I would be delighted.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Good. I appreciate that. I am just concerned that it would take that length of time. It may not be through any fault of the Department's at all. I thank Mr. Spratt. The other thing I am concerned about is that the Department's report says we are missing a significant number of board members from the likes of CIÉ. Is that still the situation?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Yes, and I also looked at the Port of Cork. I know that, up to December, with Brexit pending, there were five members of the Port of Cork board whose vacancies had not been filled.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: That is okay but it is still the case. I do not understand this in respect of vacancies because we have plenty of notice.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Why does it take so long? I understand the competencies and I know many people, particularly from the road haulage sector for instance, who would have certain competencies and practical experience but may not meet the exact criteria the Department is looking for, but perhaps we may be able to discuss this issue again. There is one other issue-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Yes, but with Brexit pending there were five vacancies and this was a crucial time. I do not know whom to pose this question to but it concerns road safety. What does the Department consider to be the most important aspect of road safety? Obviously there are many, but what would be considered to be the most important aspect?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Because of the time constraints, I will be more direct. Would Mr. O'Leary consider the condition and state of the road as being such a factor?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (27 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Where I am coming at it from is the way roads funding is allocated per kilometre as opposed to the state of road. Does Mr O’Leary not think that approach is contradictory to our road safety measures?