Results 4,561-4,580 of 32,837 for speaker:Catherine Connolly

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: We are here to consider the issue of value for money. My opinion on confidence in the police is on record. I am here, however, in a different capacity. I am here as a member of the committee to consider the issue of value for money. Matters arose on the last occasion on which clarification is certainly needed. The Garda Commissioner needs to be given an opportunity to come here. That is...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: We should put the matter where we can look at it in the context of the role we have in this committee

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I was just making a point of order in that we should proceed with caution.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: We should not wait until July and we should call a meeting, if necessary, on a different day. Due process must be gone through. Very serious issues came up after a very long day. We need to look at what Mr. Barrett produced, come back and discuss it. I urge caution and we should do that as quickly as possible in the proper context of our role in this committee, bearing in mind the delays...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: There is no investigation separate from the ordinary programme of work.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: It was at the request of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Besides the date, to which we will return, the issue was that the comment was not put in by the Accounting Officer herself.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Is it usual to have to pick up on such a thing from an organisation covered by the Comptroller and Auditor General? Is it usual to have to come back to an Accounting Officer over such issues?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Were these things absent in this case?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I thank the Chair for his clarification. I did issue a cautionary word this morning in regard to this. These are the most serious issues that have arisen from the report that we discussed last week. I do not think that we should make statements, as Chairman or otherwise, or even in the media, in regard to this. There is a process under way and we should give it our full attention. We do...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: That was the issue and that is what I said this morning. The reports were produced, they were signed off by the Accounting Officer, who happens to be the Commissioner, and there was no caveat or indication that difficulties had been discovered. On top of that, the comments in the Dáil from the Taoiseach, do not help. He referred to this as a legacy issue and he made reference to the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I have a number of questions for Mr. Waters. Did the Department of Justice and Equality ever give permission to any garda to open an account, not to mention 50 accounts?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: There are a lot of questions I wish to ask on direct provision and other matters, but I have a few quick questions that have arisen. I am not into demonising any organisation. We need An Garda Síochána. We had its representatives and the Department of Justice and Equality before us at the last meeting. Questions for the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I am sorry, I am mixed up. Is Mr. Clifford saying that permission was necessary under the Act of 2005?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Was permission given?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: What was necessary before 2005? Did An Garda Síochána have a free hand to open as many accounts as it wished?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: What would have been the restrictions or obligations on it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: It was required then as well.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Therefore, is whether permission was given 48 or 50 times not a very simple question that demands a simple reply? We need clarification on how many accounts there were, because sometimes it seems to be 42, sometimes it is 48 and sometimes it is 50. I will take the easier figure of 50.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriations Account (Resumed)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Resumed)
Chapter 6 - Procurement and Management of Contracts for Direct Provision (Resumed) (11 May 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Does that not go to the heart of the matter in terms of trust? A working group was set up. What has been happening? Is this not a fundamental question? How could so many accounts have been opened without permission? If permission was given, let us have proof of that.