Results 9,601-9,620 of 32,969 for speaker:Catherine Connolly

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: At this figure of €70 million-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I am not trying to-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Respectfully, I have only limited time and want to stay focused.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: These figures stand, €70 million. If we do not learn something for €70 million, certainly the price is given to solicitors and barristers which I fully agree should be looked at. I accept that. If we do not learn from it - arising from that we had the Garda Síochána Act and lots of recommendations. That was in 2005, was it, the Morris tribunal?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: So the final report was in 2005.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Here we are, ten years later with the Department of Justice and Equality. We have a Smithwick tribunal again inquiring into the Garda. Is that right?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: And further down we have an inquiry under section 109 of the Garda Síochána Act into the conduct of a GSOC investigation. Then we have a commission of investigation in respect of Cavan-Monaghan, the O'Higgins report.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Is that the total figure there?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I agree that it did not run on. It was my introduction to the Dáil and I read every bit of it. There were serious lessons and a finding that was very moderate.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: No, there was not a question. There was a statement about learning from O'Higgins, which made very moderate findings. I would have preferred if he had made stronger findings but he did not. All of these inquiries were into Garda behaviour supervised or managed by the Department of Justice and Equality because the Garda comes under that Department.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: The division of labour, yes.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I understand all of that. It is not that. It is about a Department learning, reading all these reports and learning about openness, accountability and change and about moving quickly. That would be the purpose of all of this. This leads me into the opportunity lost for the Magdalen laundries. On the factual side, there have been 691 awards, 106 refused, 15 are outstanding in respect of...

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: It is open-ended, so other applicants can come forward.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Of those who came forward, 691 received awards and 106 were refused.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Presumably some of those who were refused are among the 27 complaints made to the Ombudsman. Are they?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Ms McPhillips has read the Ombudsman's report.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I have read it. It does not make for very pleasant reading. Does Ms McPhillips accept the findings of the Ombudsman's report in respect of the interpretations from the Department of Justice and Equality in respect of this scheme?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I am delighted that the Government has finally seen sense and is taking a hands-on approach because that is the least we can do. However, I am asking the Department now in respect of the Ombudsman's report, which was very hard-hitting. It refers to maladministration on more than one occasion. Does Ms McPhillips accept that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I see that and I see the Department has come back-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 13 - Development of ICT Systems by the Department of Justice and Equality
Vote 24: Justice and Equality (26 Apr 2018)

Catherine Connolly: The Department has resolved this. It was not resolved from an internal investigation or from the Department examining what it was doing with this. It was resolved for a number of reasons that had nothing to do with the Department, is that not right? It was resolved because of the Ombudsman's report and because of the Government taking a hands-on approach.