Results 7,461-7,480 of 26,537 for speaker:John McGuinness

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: I wish Ms Tallon well and thank her for her appearances before the committee, for all the information she gave members and for her co-operation and courtesy while under pressure from members. She was always very comprehensive in her replies and very helpful to the Committee of Public Accounts. I wish to put on record the committee's thanks to her and to wish her well for the future.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Representatives of the Department will now withdraw, as the next part of the meeting concerns the Vote. I propose a five-minute break because Ms McGrath will appear before us again for that discussion.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: I invite the Comptroller and Auditor General to make his opening statement on Vote 13.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: I invite Ms McGrath to make her opening statement.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Mr. Dermot Quigley and Mr. Frank Griffin are also present. I call Deputy Paul J. Connaughton.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: I call Deputy Eoghan Murphy. I ask him to be conscious of the time because we will be back in here at 2 p.m.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: The Deputy is veering into a different area with these questions.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: I have a number of questions which I will go through briefly before our time is up. Ms McGrath might give a note to the clerk responding to these points. I asked the last day about the sale of Carrisbrook House and the costs or value for the State arising from that sale. I would like information on that point. Under the analysis of administrative expenditure, the seventh item on the list...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: No. 2.9, net liability to the Exchequer, refers to a sum of €6 million as being moneys owing to the OPW. Will Ms McGrath provide a breakdown of that figure?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: No. 5.2, other remuneration arrangements, indicates that 12 retired civil servants were re-employed by the OPW at a cost of €198,790. Can we have a breakdown of those costs and the areas to which these persons were deployed, whether an area of speciality or otherwise in each case? No. 6.4, provision of agency services, shows expenditure of €29 million, €21 million,...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Mr. Paul Quinn has been appointed to head up the new Office of Government Procurement. Is Mr. Quinn working within the OPW and liaising closely with Ms McGrath?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Does the OPW not retain a responsibility for procurement? Mc McGrath is reporting on it here.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Henceforth, it will be done by the Office of Government Procurement?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Under the previous system, as led by the OPW, there was a number of procurement processes in place for, say, the provision of printers, stationery and so on. I am interested in the detail of the switch-over process and the value of the equipment for which the OPW was formerly responsible. My question relates specifically to any overlap that might have arisen. Perhaps Ms McGrath will speak...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Can Ms McGrath give me a list of where that money was spent?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: My next question relates to the history of the OPW book. Will Ms McGrath supply a note on the cost to date of producing the book and where the value is being achieved in terms of that spend? Has the OPW now abandoned the project? I would also like to know how the procurement was done in respect of that process. Deputy Connaughton asked about Garda stations. Will Ms McGrath provide a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: So is the OPW actually in a position to account for it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Will Ms McGrath communicate to me the details relating to it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: Yes and also for 2013 if the information is available. Money was allocated in respect of a number of the schemes and it did not prove to be sufficient. Much of the money was spent on engineering advice, etc., and, as a result, the actual work was not done. The local authorities have now returned to seek more money in order to carry out the work itself. These were supposed to be low-cost...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

John McGuinness: That is grand. I was going to refer to consultancy services but it relates to the value-for-money policy, the reviews, etc., and I have already covered it. Does the OPW pay for light and heat for the Oireachtas?