Results 961-980 of 8,745 for speaker:Verona Murphy

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements and Accounts (11 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: I have the same view. We have a good deal of correspondence sent to the SBCI and we are waiting on responses. I am happy to leave it over.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements and Accounts (11 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: That was in answer to my query in relation to the defamation claim. I would be quite concerned if the threshold for settling claims is over and above €20,000. We are dealing with the public's money. Can we ask RTÉ how many of these settlements are there, or have been in the last year or two? I asked for figures going back five years, if I am not mistaken. Maybe someone else...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements and Accounts (11 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: No, I am fine. I will wait for the further correspondence.

Education (Leaving Certificate 2021) (Accredited Grades) Bill 2021: Second Stage (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I also welcome the opportunity to speak on this topic as the Bill is presented today. Months ago, when it became obvious that the leaving certificate would not be able to proceed in its usual format in 2021 and there was much debate on what should be done, I called for a choice to be given to the students between estimated grades and sitting the examinations. I...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: I welcome Mr. Walsh, Mr. Egan and Ms Killian and thank them for coming before the committee and for the very detailed statement. As Mr. Walsh noted, we are very tight for time. The questions I may ask will be binary and probably will require "Yes" and "No" answers, in the interest of time. I looked through the part of the annual report referring to strategic housing developments with an...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Okay, I thank Mr. Walsh. Looking at the breakdown and the detailed report supplied, 35 cases were taken of which 11 were dismissed. Of the 24 cases that went ahead, An Bord Pleanála lost 70% of them. Seven were uncontested because there was a defect in the decision. Why is the case rate so high?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: No, the question I asked was why did An Bord Pleanála lose at such a high rate?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: It would be quite worrying if the board only had to defend some of the eight cases at €3.5 million, in other words, it could have doubled had the board not taken that decision. What exactly has Mr. Walsh, as the captain of the ship, put in place to prevent this? As I look at it, I am beginning to see it as the Titanic. I really hope that something has been put in place to prevent this.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: In effect, it comes down to the law. The court deals with law, as opposed to policy.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: That is encouraging to hear. Mr. Walsh said that, in 2020, the board had fewer cases, primarily because of the onset of Covid-19. We hope, therefore, there will be lower litigation fees and legal expenses. What were those costs for 2020?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: I apologise, my signal dropped for a second. I asked Mr. Walsh what was the decrease in legal fees for 2020, compared with the €3.5 million for 2019.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: I thank Mr. Egan. The 2020 total is €8.2 million. That is an extraordinary, if not scandalous, figure. I asked Mr. Walsh what structure he had put in place to ensure the board is learning from a process that was spending €3.5 million of the taxpayers' money and, instead, whatever structure he has put in place is not working. That figure of €8.2 million is nothing...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Before Mr. Walsh continues, I remind him that he told me that in 2019, he got a detailed report of all court cases. I have read cases and have been into this for two years now. Would it be fair to say that many decisions have been made by the courts because there has been unlawful applications by An Bord Pleanála in relation to density guidelines and material contraventions?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Excuse me, Mr. Walsh. Just so we understand each other, judges deal with law and if they make a decision overturning an An Bord Pleanála decision, it means the decision of the board was unlawful.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: What exactly is the structure? There must be minutes of meetings that explain how these decisions are made. Are they analysed in respect of the court cases? Where are the minutes for the meetings at which decisions are made?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: My question was about when the board makes the decision. When the board has the inspector's report and it is sitting to make a decision or give a direction on planning, where are the minutes of those meetings? Are they recorded?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: I want to get this right. An Bord Pleanála has a dominant position in the whole of the planning policy arrangement and decision-making process and Mr. Walsh is telling me that it does not provide minutes to provide for a fully transparent process. On a two-year basis, it is costing the taxpayer in excess of €12 million. It is a serious thing for somebody to take judicial review...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Does that sound like it is equitable for the taxpayer? That is what the Committee of Public Accounts is about.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Clearly it does but, equally clearly, to the tune of €12 million, we have court decisions that state board decisions are unlawful. A court deals with law and those decisions cannot mean anything else. When a court overturns or quashes decisions of the board, there is something wrong. Has Mr. Walsh identified the problem?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: Mr. Walsh told us a few minutes ago that after 2019, when we realised legal fees were €3.5 million, fewer cases were dealt with through the process in 2020. At the same time, the board managed to increase legal fees by in excess of 50%. That is almost 50% of what the taxpayer contributes. In 2021, will we be looking at another increased figure? The scandal is getting bigger. I...