Results 861-880 of 2,792 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report November 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (5 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: Before we begin, I remind the members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones because the interference by phones affects the sound quality and transmission of the meeting. I welcome Mr. Seamus Coffey to the committee. He is accompanied by his fellow council members, Mr. Sebastian Barnes, Ms Martina Lawless, Mr. Michael Tutty and Mr. Eddie Casey. We are meeting with the Irish Fiscal...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report November 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (5 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: I thank Mr. Coffey. A number of members have indicated a wish to speak. I remind members that I will, as normal, allow approximately five minutes each and there will be an additional round of questions later. I will allow everyone to make an initial comment. The first person to indicate a wish to comment was Deputy Michael McGrath.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report November 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (5 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: Deputy Bailey is next.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report November 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (5 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: That is fine but the Deputy has only five minutes in which to do so.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report November 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (5 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: At the moment?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report November 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (5 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: I thank the witnesses and Deputy Doherty. Before we conclude, speaking as a member of the committee more than as the Chairman, I have strong disagreements with some of the views the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has on the budget. I think, as the Minister has indicated, that a solid, prudent approach has been taken on this and a number of budgets. I think various areas have been...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report November 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (5 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: I am conscious that it is 4 p.m. There are differences of opinions. Sometimes, one can see things as a glass half-full or a glass half-empty. There are many negatives which the witnesses pointed out in their previous statement. There are many positives in the budget too which is always worth mentioning. I thank the witnesses for their contributions. We will take on what they said. I...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: I remind members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones. Overruns in health expenditure have become a key issue and exercised the committee during its pre-budget discussion earlier this year. In July 2018, the prospect of significant overruns in the health budget was flagged to the committee and became a key theme raised with the Minister for Finance at our summer meeting and in our...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: The first Deputy to indicate was Deputy Jonathan O'Brien.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: I thank all the members. However, due to other commitments some of the members could not remain. I have some questions and comments. I begin by thanking Mr. Desmond for coming before us and showing respect for the work of our committee unlike the officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In October 2018, the Government announced a new budget oversight group to be...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: When is that due?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: Imminently being days or weeks?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: Is there a financial challenge in it?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: It is very significant and it has gone into the base, so therefore it would be very worrying to see at the outset of the year any potential that would link to the possibility of an overrun. Let me return to a point raised by a colleague earlier. Where does the overrun come from? Deputy Lahart was referring to the 5%. Having looked at the figures, the one most remarkable, consistent...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: It certainly is a key issue. I appreciate it may sometimes be unfair to take one line from an opening statement, but I have a real problem with it. Mr Desmond said: “Furthermore, the nature of the health services is such that the normal budget management levers available to other sectors, such as reduction of services, are simply not available to us and consequently, overruns can and...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: Is Mr. Desmond confident that that level of management of expertise should now be there, particularly dealing with the increased budget that is now allocated?

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Health Budget and Expenditure Management: Discussion (11 Dec 2018)

Colm Brophy: I am glad to hear that. I borrow an analogy that is used about speed limits in this country. They are supposed to be guidance as to where one should stop and not a target to aim for, because if one aims for the target, one will overshoot. Without that mindset change irrespective of how big the health budget becomes, the existing management structure will end up overrunning by 5% because it...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (16 Jan 2019)

Colm Brophy: 53. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a summary of the guidance of the expert advisory group on the decade of centenaries 1919 to 1923 and the plans for commemorative events for the period. [1754/19]

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Colm Brophy: Apologies have been received from Deputy Burton. I remind members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones because their interference affects the quality of the sound recording. The committee will proceed in public session before moving to private session after our meeting with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, or in a break which we may have during our meeting with the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Fiscal Assessment Report: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (16 Jan 2019)

Colm Brophy: A large number of members are indicating that they wish to ask questions. I will follow our usual process of an initial five-minute tranche. If there are additional questions, we will come back to them at a later point. The first member to indicate was Deputy Michael McGrath.