Results 8,001-8,020 of 20,099 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: It is awful. I make that proposal now and hopefully after 22 October, with Covid figures going well and everything else being equal, we will have witnesses present in the committee room. There are a couple of matters to bring to the members' attention, the first of which is our report. The secretariat will circulate a document setting out the current status in advance of the next...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: It would be useful to have.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: Should we request it? Okay. The meeting is adjourned until 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 21 October when we will examine the 2020 financial statements of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: 16. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the anticipated amount of funding that is expected to be provided to counties Laois and Offaly through the Leader programme in 2021. [49417/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: 66. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of funding that has been provided to counties Laois and Offaly through the LEADER programme in 2019 and 2020. [49416/21]

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: The improvement of local bus services is included in the programme for Government. I raise the need for a local bus service in the town of Portlaoise. The plan has been put together, the research has been done by the local authority, the route has been designed and the location of bus stops has been decided. The Government needs to hand this role over to the local authorities. This is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: I welcome that but we need a local bus service to action that low-carbon town plan.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: There are households on the outskirts of Portlaoise that are 4 km or 5 km from the centre. Pensioners have to find their way into town to draw pensions every Friday.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: We need a bus service in the town and it is time to put it in place. I ask the Government to raise this with the NTA. The Minister for Transport could take a hands-on approach to this. It is a low-carbon town so this is an opportunity to drive this home.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: I am sorry. I know-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: No apologies have been received. This morning, we will engage with witnesses from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, regarding its 2020 financial statements. After lunch, the committee will consider correspondence and other business of the committee. We are joined remotely from within the precincts of Leinster House by the following officials from Tusla: Mr. Bernard Gloster, chief...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: I now invite Mr. Gloster to make his opening statement.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: I thank Mr. Gloster. The first speaker today is Deputy Verona Murphy. She has 15 minutes and there are ten minutes for everyone else after that. I ask for members' co-operation with that to make sure everyone gets in.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: The claims were settled-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: I will let Deputy Burke back in during the second round.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: If members want to come in for a second round of questions, they should put up their hands and I will take them in order. I have a few questions for Mr. Gloster. Deputy Colm Burke asked about the figures and the reasons social workers leave the service. I ask Mr. Gloster to supply them to the committee clerk.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: I ask Mr. Gloster to provide us with a table on that. We would very much appreciate it.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: On outsourcing, I know Mr. Gloster would say publicly that Tusla wants to bring as much of it in house as possible. Obviously that makes economic sense and I also presume from a management point of view it is more difficult when dealing with a multiple number of outside agencies. We all accept a certain number of them are necessary and I can see the amount spent on them decreased from...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: I take it that it would impact on the standard of service provided. I hear this from constituents sometimes. They say a different social worker shows up and they speak about starting again, as has been mentioned. From a management point of view in a local area, this must create challenges in trying to maintain a level of care.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency - Financial Statements 2020 (21 Oct 2021)

Brian Stanley: It is an area that needs to be prioritised. Earlier, Mr. Gloster mentioned he is in contact with third-level institutions. I presume he has made the case directly to the Minister, Deputy Harris, that Tusla needs more social workers.