Results 981-1,000 of 2,211 for speaker:Paul Connaughton

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: Considering that no one was telling the gallery when the project would be approved, the gallery could not tell the staff how long their contracts would last.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: For what length of time were those people working in the gallery?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: One would expect them to presume they had a job for life almost.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: On that basis, the contracts were renewed while awaiting a decision on the master development plan.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: The staff were not being informed on the status of the project because the gallery was not being informed.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: Did the gallery receive legal advice during this process that when this master development plan commences, the gallery is within its rights to bring these contracts to an end and let the staff go?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: What was the cost of that project?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: It was announced in 2010 and work is ongoing?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: Is it true, therefore, that between 2002 and 2010, there was no word on when the project would commence?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: For the majority of that time there was no financial crisis; in fact, the country was awash with money. By 2010, on the other hand, the crisis had happened and funding was in short supply, yet the money was suddenly forthcoming for this project. That seems unusual.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: Mr. Ó Donnchú is saying the plan changed.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: When was that change initiated?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: Was that in 2010?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: What is the total contribution to the project from the gallery?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: Going back to the staff contracts issue, Mr. D'Arcy indicated that the National Gallery received legal advice to the effect that it would be able to defend the contracts given. The Labour Court found otherwise. Did the same legal team which gave that advice represent the gallery in court?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: And that legal team lost the case?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: The same firm gave the National Gallery legal advice and then defended it in court and lost. Does the gallery still use that firm?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: Is that being done at this point in time?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: In other words, it was not previously done. Who selected this legal firm?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Paul Connaughton: At a cost €124,000, it is fair to say it did not work out at all.