Results 6,201-6,220 of 21,498 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Appointments to State Boards (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 949. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form, year on year, the number of commercial and non-commercial State agency board positions under the aegis of his Department that have been filled from March 2011 to December 2013; the number of these positions that were publically advertised; and the number of female appointments. [1383/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Internship Scheme Placements (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 950. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form, year on year, the number of JobBridge interns taken on in his Department in 2013. [1399/14]

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: How does the Chairman intend to take the witnesses? Is there an opening statement?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yes. Thank you.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I believe most people following this story are mystified from start to finish and that was the case even before this meeting began. The rationale for making Bord Gáis Éireann the parent company for this new public utility was on the basis of the expertise, standing and so on of that organisation as an established and highly successful utility. Mr. Tierney gave a rationale for the...

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I have it.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: No, I do not want Mr. Tierney to read out anything, if he does not mind. I want him to explain how anyone could justify the expenditure of €4 million on brand development for an item such as water by a organisation that is in a monopoly position. I also want him to enlighten the committee as to what precisely was or might be the customer engagement. Moreover, given that Irish Water...

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I do not think anyone present or who is tuned in to these proceedings underestimates for a second the scale of the task Irish Water has taken on. Mr. Barry has now stated this repeatedly at this meeting and I respectfully ask him not to repeat it, as members have heard that message.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The onus is on Mr. Barry and others to explain the reason in areas such as brand development and customer engagement. I note there is another reference in another lot to talent management and recruitment strategies. These are basic human resources competencies and as of yet, I have not heard an explanation from any of the witnesses that explains to me or the public how it is that those...

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I have the detail before me, which is on page 8 of the presentation Mr. Tierney made last night to the committee. More than €4 million was proposed and submitted for customer engagement and brand engagement to the Department in respect of his programme budget. I find this to be an astonishing figure.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Right, I appreciate that. In any event, I believe the point stands in respect of the use of expertise. Is this use of consultants purely a phenomenon pertaining to the starting up of this utility? Does Mr. Tierney envisage it as being an ongoing necessity? In other words, is what members see here simply the start of what they can anticipate the practice of Irish Water to be?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Does Mr. Tierney envisage this on an ongoing basis, for the upgrade and maintenance of the network, in other words, the pipe work, that he will require?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The capital works that Mr. Tierney will require.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Is that further significant spend on consultants?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am not disputing. I am trying to establish the facts. There is no need for Mr. Tierney to be defensive. Does he envisage further significant spend in respect of consultants?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I appreciate that.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: When it comes down to the oversight of this matter, my colleague, Deputy Sean Fleming, has referred to the voluminous list of State agencies and bodies. Indeed, in his presentation, Mr. Tierney gave a comprehensive account of the different layers of accountability within Bord Gáis and cascading down to Irish Water. However, there is one question that needs to be answered, that is, what...

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Am I correct in saying that, from that date, for a period of three months the Department to'd and fro'd with different queries as regards the content of that proposed budget?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Would it be correct to state in Ms Tallon's way of thinking it was an adequate and comprehensive "interrogation" - to use her word - of that budget?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Am I correct in saying that Ms Tallon was aware from the outset that there would be consultancy costs associated with this budget?