Results 7,381-7,400 of 34,780 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Tax Code (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: 22. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the impact of the ending the lower rate of employer's PRSI on job creation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29942/14]

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the Acting Garda Commissioner and her colleagues. My questions are not so much about the traffic element but about the general Garda Vote. The number of gardaí is approximately 13,000 at present, down from 14,000 in 2011. How has the reduction of approximately 1,000 gardaí impacted on the ability of the Garda Síochána to do its job?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: That is the current position, but how has the reduction of 1,000 members of the Garda Síochána impacted on its ability to do its work? Ms O'Sullivan mentioned the compensating factors, but the force is still down by 1,000 members.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: I get the impression that the loss of 1,000 members of the force has not impacted on its ability.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: What were they doing if they are gone and it has no impact?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: I would not make this point but I will put it to Ms O'Sullivan. If the numbers were cut by another 1,000 and the Garda just did things more efficiently, would it be as good a force then as it is today? I do not understand how the Garda can lose 1,000 members and its service is improving. Was it not well managed up to now? Could further better management, rostering and so forth compensate...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: Ms O'Sullivan's reference to rosters brings to mind the Haddington Road agreement. How many members of the force were impacted by the pay cuts in that agreement? In other words, how many people were on a salary of over €65,000, which is the figure at which people had their salary cut? What were the savings from that cut? What other savings have resulted from the Haddington Road...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: What are the savings from the Haddington Road agreement in 2013 and the projected savings for 2014 and 2015? What is the target year-by-year and how is it being achieved?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: Perhaps Ms O'Sullivan would distribute the schedule after the meeting.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: Does the witness have that number?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: What was the €2 million mentioned earlier?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: It is 30% to 40% below the estimated savings.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: Is it expected to achieve all the estimated savings under the Haddington Road agreement that have been given to the Garda?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: That is from the $29 million figure.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: Perhaps this is a broader question, so I will make an observation. If that is indicative of the savings the Haddington Road agreement is delivering in such a big section of the public sector, €16 million out of €30 million means it is only achieving marginally over half of what we have been told the savings would be. I make the observation that this is something we must...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: What was the target and what was achieved in 2013?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: That is well over half but a long way short of the actual target. Has this been built into the Estimate for the year? When the Minister announces the Estimate on budget day, will this cause difficulty? The Department has been asked to find €29 million this year and can only achieve €16 million. Where will the other €30 million be achieved? Will it involve a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: I thank Mr. Culhane for that information but it raises a worrying issue about savings across the public service. How many Garda stations are open? Over 100 were closed. How many are open and how many have members of the Garda Síochána living in the accommodation?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: How many stations are there?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 8 - Management of Outsourced Safety Cameras (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Fleming: An inquiry was announced recently by the Government, with an independent panel of seven barristers examining complaints into Garda activities. Has the Garda Síochána been involved in this? Has it been given the list of 200 complaints and does it know what is being investigated? I do not need to know the details of any of the cases. There are 250 cases concerning the Garda...