Results 3,901-3,920 of 5,388 for speaker:John Deasy

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (5 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: How many of the contracts awarded by the HSE in the past ten years went to former staff? That is the simple question we should put to the HSE in the meantime. We could then take the matter from there. That is an easy question that can be answered immediately.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (5 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: We need to find out if certain contracts were tendered.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: I hope the Chairman will give me some latitude on this. This document arrived in our pigeonholes this morning. It is the annual progress report on the public service reform plan from Mr. Watt's Department. I find the section on performance and accountability, local government, interesting because-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: Local government, and it is slightly non-germane to what this meeting is about, but I will get to that. Considering the comments that Mr. Watt's boss, the Minister, made in recent days about the abolition of town councils being a mistake, the accountability and performance part of this document refers to the National Oversight and Audit Commission for Local Government, which undermines that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: One does lead to the other.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: I understand that; that is exactly what I am getting at. Mr. Watt knows that we have talked about rates during the years. It is devolving power to local authorities so far as revenue collection in their own areas is concerned. Mr. Watt is announcing that this is happening around the country, but will he talk about the quality of the service provided, regardless of whether there are revenue...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: Yes. May we have a short passage on what thematic reviews of local authority function mean? The only point I am making, even though I might agree with the Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, is that there is a slight contradiction and a subtle undermining of what those on the commission might be tasked to do, while at the same time saying the abolition of town councils was a mistake. Spelling...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: Would it be useful if the clerk let us know what he said?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: There has been significant movement in regard to Carlow, Waterford, the HEA and education. I understand the President of Waterford IT has left and is now working with the Higher Education Authority. Mr. Michael Kelly, who is carrying out a report on the merger between Waterford and Carlow Its, is probably finalising that work. Would it be useful to invite Mr. Kelly to present to committee...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: It would be useful to have Mr. Kelly come before us. I believe the hearing we had with the HEA and the Department of Education and Skills woke some people up and that some issues were resolved after that hearing. We should continue with that to bring this to a conclusion, if possible. Having Mr. Kelly appear would be useful in that regard.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: I agree with the Chairman in so far as Howth is concerned and it is hard not to agree. The situation might not be as bad with regard to the other State ports. I did some checking with regard to Dunmore East where there are some vacant buildings and they are looking for leaseholds. There is a difference of opinion among people who actually use the port as to the utilisation of certain...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: From my cursory conversations with the Minister, Deputy Coveney, I think there is probably a willingness to deal with it. There is probably an agreement that, in many cases, some of these buildings are vacant for too long and the processes involved are too lengthy. If we were to collaborate with the Department I think some progress would be made.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: A couple of months ago the Department of the Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht came before the committee and the spend on the 1916 commemoration was discussed. At the meeting the Secretary General committed to getting back to the committee specifically on how the money will be spent this year when it comes to remembering the people who died in 1916. He sent us back what I thought was a pretty...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: I am not so sure there will be a reply unless we are persistent. We are speaking about very serious money. I believe €22 million will be spent this year, and the Department has listed six flagship projects, including works at Cathal Brugha Barracks, Kilmainham Gaol and the GPO, the construction of a new visitor centre at Pearse's cottage in Ros Muc and the development of a tenement...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Annual Report and Financial Statements (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: It was €14 million, which is quite big. We are not talking about an amount of €3 million or €4 million.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Annual Report and Financial Statements (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Annual Report and Financial Statements (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: Am I correct in stating that it has been berthed on the Liffey for five years?

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Annual Report and Financial Statements (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: When was it placed in dry dock? Was it last year?

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Annual Report and Financial Statements (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: The original cost to the State of the vessel was €14 million. In view of the fact that serious water damage has been discovered on board, how much money will be required to make it seaworthy? Difficulties arose in respect of the Jeanie Johnstonapproximately four years ago and I seem to recall that it was estimated that the cost of making it seaworthy again would be €100,000....

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Annual Report and Financial Statements (26 Mar 2015)

John Deasy: I am not saying the authority paid €14 million; I am saying the State did so.