Results 5,561-5,580 of 26,534 for speaker:John McGuinness
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: German shepherd is my breed.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: Nor had Deputy Deasy.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: Let the Department respond, yes. I will deal with that in a minute.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: No formal decision was taken. It was a matter of people having to cover for other people. It was not just the maternity leave issue. There were staffing issues. People who had a range of skills had to take on what was required to be undertaken at that time.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: She was a senior person in my constituency office before this.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: Yes, but then by the Department because she was central to my work.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I do not know whether those titles were there at that time but she was a central figure in the office. As is the case, Ministers and Ministers of State are appointed and the staff move to the Department and are paid by the Department. It was not a formal decision. It was a question of what was happening in the office, the volume of work in the Department and the constituency, how best we...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: It was a full-time position.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: It was a full-time position.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: There could very well have been a position where, in the context of the work being undertaken, that was the most cost-effective way out of it.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: One person was straddling the work of possibly three different people. In doing that it was possibly the most cost-effective way of doing it. From an administrative point of view, it was certainly the most efficient way of doing it. The fact that the person had to work almost seven days a week meant they could cover liaison between Department and constituency office, keeping the other...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: First, I am not going to delay the meeting with long closing remarks. I think they have answered all the questions. As previous speakers have said, I think it has been a very worthwhile exercise and I cite it as being an example of what might happen before anybody else is appointed as Chairman - to have these conversations first. The only issue I was unable to deal with - because it is...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I will get those. From here on in, what happens? I hope the debate we have had today strengthens the committee. I do not see anything wrong with any of the things that have happened. It has been a good strong robust exchange. The members have proven to the public that regardless of whether one is a member of the committee, an Accounting Officer or a Secretary General, if one comes before...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: Whatever way the remarks were passed or understood, it is easy to get from those concerned a simple statement which puts people at ease. Perhaps this is what is required. I do not see this as being a massive controversial issue. I see it as being a statement to put people at ease after which they carry on with their work. Otherwise we will get back into-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I am not asking for this.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: We just raised the question, not me.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I accept what Deputy Donohoe stated. The Vice Chairman asked about the London trip and I have made efforts to get the detail because I do not want to close without it. I asked two questions. I asked how a freedom of information request operates. Section 29 of the Freedom of Information Act provides for consultation with individuals where personal information has been requested. However,...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I rang and I asked.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: It was an overnight trip to London.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: It was the 14 and 15 November.