Results 521-540 of 2,988 for speaker:James O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: I thank the Minister for being here to discuss the national development plan, which is an extremely important document covering over €165 billion of Government capital expenditure in the coming years. I have more national-focused questions. Is the Minister confident he can get through the Department's workload in terms of capital projects, planned expenditure and the capital envelope...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: In terms of the building of new capital infrastructure projects in Ireland, it seems we have a significant historical problem around getting such projects from concept to being under way and operational on time and within budget. Does the Minister have concerns around this area? Do we need fundamental reforms of how we go about building new public transport?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: Can the Minister give an example of a public transport project that TII has delivered in the last five years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: I want to be very specific because we have limited time. I ask for the Chair's protection here. It is important to give full context because my time is limited and precious. Concerning things like the metro line in Dublin or Luas lines planned for Cork, I said to the Secretary General of the Minister's Department in the Committee of Public Accounts last week that there is extreme...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: I have a request for the Minister in that area because I believe it is quite an interesting issue. The work the Attorney General is doing is obviously a very important part of Government business at the moment. It is critically important that all relevant civil servants in the Minister's Department, including the Minister, would feed into that process. It is crucial that all feedback is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: I want to outline one fundamental concern to the Minister, which I have mentioned previously at the committee in his absence. While he is here with me, however, it is important to say that there are flaws with the system for the national allocations that go to national roads and national secondary roads through TII's funding budgets. One very clear example of that, with which I know the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: I will make a concluding remark, Chairman, if I may have a just a little bit of leniency. I have one other issue. The two to one strategy on public investment in public transport versus that of roads is something about which I have many concerns as a rural Deputy. The obvious reality is that the lion's share of that public transport investment will be going into Dublin, particularly the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: I would feel wrong to let the Minister go out of here without a helpful suggestion, rather than grilling him. I have a lot of questions and there will be many more in the future but I believe passionately that every single village and urban settlement in rural Ireland should have a public transport hub.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

James O'Connor: A car park with a bus stop is all that is needed so that people living in rural townlands surrounding those villages have the option of driving to the area where they can access to rapid public transport services that will bring them to their hubs of education, employment and any access to services they desperately need as well. East Cork, which I represent, would be such an excellent model...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 9 - Revenue Commissioners
Chapter 12 - Controls over the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
Chapter 13 - Revenue's Management of Suspicious Transactions Reports (2 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I welcome the witnesses from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. The temporary wage subsidy scheme was an excellent scheme that helped many employers to keep on workers throughout the pandemic. In an era when there is so much mobility within the workforce and when many employers are experiencing difficulty with trying to get staff, it was a prudent move overall. Am I correct in...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 9 - Revenue Commissioners
Chapter 12 - Controls over the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
Chapter 13 - Revenue's Management of Suspicious Transactions Reports (2 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: In regard to the scale and size of firms that were expected to take up the scheme and how much that would cost, was there any analysis or questioning done within Revenue to determine whether there should be a cut-off point for the scale of the firms involved in taking up the scheme? For instance, was there analysis of whether it would be better to direct the scheme towards small and medium...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 9 - Revenue Commissioners
Chapter 12 - Controls over the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
Chapter 13 - Revenue's Management of Suspicious Transactions Reports (2 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I reiterate there is a broad recognition within the Oireachtas that the work done in Revenue by its employees has, in general, been very good. We have all dealt with businesses that have suffered a great deal because of the pandemic and that have suffered difficulties with Revenue, but I recognise the efforts of the witnesses and, more particularly, those of the workers within the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 9 - Revenue Commissioners
Chapter 12 - Controls over the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
Chapter 13 - Revenue's Management of Suspicious Transactions Reports (2 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I thank Mr. Cody. It is a valid point, which needs to be raised, and I ask Revenue to mind it closely in the coming months. It appears that we will be living with Covid for a significant period. The interaction between employers and Revenue in any future scheme, and indeed in this scheme, has an impact which filters down to people who are applying for mortgages. It is one of many...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 9 - Revenue Commissioners
Chapter 12 - Controls over the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
Chapter 13 - Revenue's Management of Suspicious Transactions Reports (2 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I am interested in vehicle registration tax. What types of changes are-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 9 - Revenue Commissioners
Chapter 12 - Controls over the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme
Chapter 13 - Revenue's Management of Suspicious Transactions Reports (2 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Apologies. I thank the Chair.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection
Chapter 9 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 10 - Management of Social Welfare Appeals
Chapter 11 - Controls Over the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I welcome the witnesses. I do not have a host of issues to raise but it is important to acknowledge that, since the outset of the pandemic, their Department has been under a heavier burden than most. Many people appreciate that work, as do I as a public representative. Suffice it to say, though, we have questions to ask. The gross expenditure from the Social Insurance Fund was in excess...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection
Chapter 9 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 10 - Management of Social Welfare Appeals
Chapter 11 - Controls Over the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I apologise for interrupting but I am a little time restricted and might revert to that question for a reply during the additional round of questions. My next question is on the matter of suspected fraud. We are aware from the details provided to us that this accounted for approximately €18 million in 2019. The pandemic has naturally increased the amount of support that people...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection
Chapter 9 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 10 - Management of Social Welfare Appeals
Chapter 11 - Controls Over the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I am sorry to interrupt but I do not have the luxury of time. Mr. McKeon referred to 9,000 cases. Was there a strong mixture of multiple reasons for stopping those claims? I suppose there were some people moving to other jurisdictions to live or did it have more to do with holidays? Will Mr. McKeon give us an insight into the figure of 9,000 cases?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection
Chapter 9 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 10 - Management of Social Welfare Appeals
Chapter 11 - Controls Over the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: That is fine. Mr. McKeon might be able to clarify the other issues as well.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection
Chapter 9 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 10 - Management of Social Welfare Appeals
Chapter 11 - Controls Over the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: In full receipt of the PUP.