Results 5,781-5,800 of 21,440 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 64: In page 45, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following:"28. An FOI body shall provide information regarding policy decisions and actions, to include but not exclusive to financial decisions and service delivery which impact on citizens in all instances.".I would like to explain the thinking behind this amendment. The manner in which policy decisions are made,...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Okay. That is fine. My difficulty is that the Minister has not actually commented on the merits or otherwise of the amendment I am proposing. He has set out his own stall. Is that just a way of saying-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am not denying any of that. It is all true. I am asking whether it would be a good thing, notwithstanding all of the other parliamentary channels that exist, if this legislation provided explicitly that people could - in the here and now or retrospectively - obtain information relating to a policy decision, such as whether factors such as possible equality impacts were considered when...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I will press it.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 66:"(e) a detailed explanation for the refusal,".The amendment refers to the certificate where the refusal to grant the FOI request is concerned. The amendment proposes to introduce paragraph (e) to subsection (5).

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Twelve.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: In order that we are clear, the intent of the amendment is not to give the information but simply cite a piece of statute to give something more than that. We almost work on the assumption that it all professional bodies, NGOs or journalists who make requests but that is not case. Often it is-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 85: In page 75, to delete lines 19 to 37, and in page 76, to delete lines 1 to 23.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I support Deputies Shane Ross and Kieran O'Donnell. It would be appropriate to call in the Governor of the Central Bank at this time. I wish to raise another issue on the State's procurement practices. As members will know, there is a new office for centralised procurement and a move under way to save substantial moneys for the public purse, which is welcome. However, there are some...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I welcome the witnesses. I wish to pick up on the last statement made by Mr. O'Brien. The difficultly, of course, is that the HSE has cited budget savings of €113 million arising from medical card "probity" as he put it. I do not think it is consistent for him, on the one hand, to say we must wait and see what the outcome of the medical card reviews will be and, on the other, to...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Okay. Please explain the logic behind the figure.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am aware of that. I am asking Mr. O'Brien from whence the figure arises. Does he know?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Can the Department shed any light on it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I have acknowledged the report, but is it the case that there are no firmer grounds than a Government decision and that the figure falls within a speculative range?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Right. Savings of €113 million or €133 million are being speculated about. Notwithstanding the report, which is a projection and not a perfect science, this is the target for the cuts to medical cards in addition to what has already taken place.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Setting a target, or having a figure like that handed down, is the very definition of precooking an outcome. Mr. Hennessy, Mr. McLoughlin and Mr. O'Brien have been at pains to emphasise that there is no change in the qualifying criteria for a medical card, and specifically a discretionary medical card. The witnesses cited section 45 of the Health Act 1970 and have underscored the fact that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Mr. McLoughlin-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Can Mr. McLoughlin please do me the courtesy of addressing my questions? We are being called for a vote.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: No; I am leading the questions. If Mr. McLoughlin would demonstrate a level of courtesy, I would appreciate it. The fact of the matter is that this case is representative of many and the child, in accordance with the established law, was adjudged to merit a full medical card under the Health Act 1970. Under the same legislation, the view now is that she does not qualify. The child has not...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: In the first instance, Mr. McLoughlin, because he has been the most vigorous proponent of the idea that there has been no policy change. This position leaves the parents of Katie Connolly somewhat gobsmacked.