Results 7,261-7,280 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I agree that it is since 2017, but it is very difficult to say lessons have been learned. Has legal advice been sought on whether the contract is binding on the education and training board?

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: If it was me, I would seek legal advice. I would not simply take it as read that I was going to pay out €7 million of taxpayers' money under a contract which had not even been approved by the board. Do the witnesses know whether there are other leases where contracts have been signed by individuals; perhaps even the same individuals?

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: When-----

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have two small questions.

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: When is it proposed to bring the lease to the board?

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: How much did it cost to fit out the building under a contract that has not been approved?

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Dr. Keyes can come back to me with it. I believe it is in excess of €2 million. As such, we are talking about nearly €10 million of taxpayers' money under a contract that has not received board approval.

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I presume that when the meeting resumes after the Dáil votes that we will begin a new session.

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I want to be clear about the two things that I am looking for. First, is a list of all properties and lands which the ETB is currently leasing which the ETB had owned and sold. Second is a list of all leases and contracts which have been signed which have not been approved by the board or which may have been approved subsequently after the fact. Mr. Ó Foghlú said that the...

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: What exactly does that mean? Does it mean that the Department is now responsible if there is an issue with the contract?

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Therefore the Department gave the ETB permission to start paying the lease.

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: But the ETB had already entered into the lease.

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Can Mr. Ó Foghlú help me out? Two individuals sign a contract and I presume once it has been signed that is it.

Public Accounts Committee: Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board: Financial Statements 2015 (21 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Some of the reason may be a conflict of interest or it might be a cost issue. I do not know. Was any analysis done on whether it was good value for money? I do not know because none of this came before the board.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Macroeconomic Analysis and Fiscal Risks: Central Bank of Ireland (27 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Many questions have been asked so I will be brief. Brexit is the big challenge at the moment but, as the witnesses have been quick to point out, it is not the only one. I want to touch on employment, housing and non-commercial properties and the factors at play in those issues. From reading the report, we are reaching full employment and there is now a transition of employment across...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Macroeconomic Analysis and Fiscal Risks: Central Bank of Ireland (27 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: The reference to house prices is on page 44.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Macroeconomic Analysis and Fiscal Risks: Central Bank of Ireland (27 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: In which sectors?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: We should make that standard practice from now on. I acknowledge we got the valuation report for that building but there are a number of other items that we requested from the ETB that have not been forthcoming. We need to follow up on those in the same letter. There were three other things. The first was about block E of the Civic Centre in Bray. There was a list of all properties that...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have that.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Feb 2019)

Jonathan O'Brien: Yes.