Results 11,761-11,780 of 26,610 for speaker:David Cullinane

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Is there a formal process if there was somebody who felt that he or she missed out on a tender, maybe not for straightforward reasons? What is such a person's recourse? Whoever this individual is, he took that effort. I agree with the Chairman's summation, but is there some other avenue we can send this person back to that is the correct avenue?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: If somebody is not happy with a contract awarded as a consequence of a tendering process, is there an appeal process or some mechanism by which he or she can raise concern?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: The question is whether there was a potential cost to the Exchequer because the standards were not what they should have been in this case.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is fair enough.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I do not agree with that analysis at all. I totally agree that we would need to look at what is within and not within our remit. I have no difficulty with that. There is much correspondence that comes our way that is not within our remit.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is why we have the three categories and they are well filtered for our benefit by the secretariat. Tendering and procurement is certainly within our remit.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: We have to be careful that we protect our own committee. Deputy Farrell is correct generally, but given the issues that are being raised, it would be remiss of us to merely send it back to the sender or send it off to a sectoral committee.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I commend Commissioner Harris for his response. To be fair to him, his giving of incorrect information to the committee was inadvertent. It was an issue he probably did not expect to be raised. However, there are other questions arising from it that should be answered. I ask that my questions be forwarded to the Commissioner's office for clarification.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Definitely not.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Does NAMA accept that it was a failure on its part that the disclosure was not made in the annual financial statements and that the audit committee was not informed, or is that just Mr. McCarthy's opinion? Has he received a response from NAMA on this point and is it an ongoing issue for his office?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I accept that, but has it acknowledged that it was a mistake not to disclose them in the annual report and financial statements? Does it accept that it should have informed the audit committee and the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General? May we write to the agency giving Mr. McCarthy's opinion on the matter?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: It is not clear whether NAMA has accepted that it was a mistake not to put it in the financial statement and inform the audit committee about it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I am satisfied with that if Mr. McCarthy is satisfied with it. My concern is that if NAMA did not accept that a mistake had been made, it could happen again.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I agree completely with the observations of the Chairman. I would be slow to use the word "fiddled" because it has certain connotations, but it certainly involves massaging the figures and sleight of hand. I would like to contribute on the audit opinion, but I will allow other members to comment on this issue first.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: On the audit opinion, how many times have we raised the issue of non-compliant procurement by the HSE? There are several issues on which we have shone a light in terms of the presentation of accounts. The Chairman gave the example of one aspect of the HSE accounts and how the Department or the Minister presents them. The committee has been quite good on the issue of the late presentation...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Will the Chair remind us of what was left out?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: If he is coming in, I ask that we also include procurement.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I must apologise but I will not be here for the opening statements as I have another meeting. I do not like missing the opening statement and then coming in afterwards as it is possible to repeat what the first speaker has said, but it cannot be helped.