Results 10,481-10,500 of 26,610 for speaker:David Cullinane

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (23 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: Obviously, it would have been more helpful to have had it at the time it was promised. However, it appears that many people have come forward. There have been 50 meetings and 20 companies are being examined so it is a quite extensive examination. Bear in mind that the completed report is something we said we would use to conduct a wider examination of intellectual property across the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (23 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: It was discussed at length but I was not at the meeting where it was discussed. I commend Deputy MacSharry on raising the issue in the first place. The reply says that no specific guidelines are in place. Could we write advising that the HEA would seek to put guidelines in place? The HEA said it shares the committee's concern about the appropriateness of signing off on the expenses....

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (23 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: Could I make a broader point on that? I do not think we should, nor would I advocate that we should, but Accounting Officers should and if they cannot do it then it is indicative of a bigger problem. I do not know what Department this would come under. Is it possible for us to get some guidance on what processes are in place to allow Accounting Officers to sanction people? Let us take the...

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: The Government hid the facts from us.

Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: Blame Sinn Féin again.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Brexit Issues (28 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: 222. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to set out the 142 areas of North-South co-operation that his Department is working on in the context of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49866/17]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rural Resettlement Scheme (28 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: 702. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the schemes available to assist households in relocating from urban to rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50139/17]

Disclosures Tribunal: Motion [Private Members] (29 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: Everything has changed since the Charleton tribunal was established. The last two weeks have obviously been very problematic for everybody, especially the Government. Everything has changed, except the terms of reference relating to the tribunal. Those who have spoken against the motion miss the point entirely. We have read the terms of reference line by line. Nothing in those terms of...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: I think there was further information that was to be forthcoming. I am almost certain it was agreed that Deloitte would also forward exchanges between the author of the report and the HSE, and maybe that would give us a clear indication as to whether or not suggested changes were coming from the HSE. I, therefore, propose that we hold off discussing this until we get all of the information,...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: Until we get that, I do not see how we can proceed, so I propose that we hold off on any discussion pending receipt of that information.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: I commend any section 38 or 39 organisation on the timely presentation of accounts but that was not the issue we were discussing. It is good that it has happened but we have had a lengthy discussion about the failings in a number of these organisations, which arose from the Comptroller and Auditor General's report. While this happened on the back of a targeted auditing, we heard from the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: I concur. The issue of not honouring contracts is important because it has financial consequences. If we are exploring it, though, we could also explore a related matter, namely, that of tax avoidance. We dealt with this. In a report, the Comptroller and Auditor General brought our attention to a practice whereby consultants established companies and paid corporation tax rather than PAYE,...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: On a wider issue, I am still not satisfied with Dr. Thorn advising members of the ETB not to answer our committee's questions.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: Reportedly advised. He certainly wrote to the committee indirectly given that the Secretary General of the Department wrote to us and made reference to advice that Dr. Thorn was giving us as well. I am concerned about that. I stand over what I said at the previous meeting. Without repeating any of that, we should at least write to Dr. Thorn asking for an explanation. That might give us...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 20: Corporation Tax Receipts (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: I just seek a point of clarification

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 20: Corporation Tax Receipts (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: On this topic, yes. I am assuming that we will be able to refer to Apple and ask questions on some aspects of this because it is entirely relevant to the application of the tax code. You have spent the last ten minutes putting questions in respect of the escrow account. All of this is in the public domain.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 20: Corporation Tax Receipts (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: I am putting the Chairman on notice that Apple will be part of my questioning.

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 20: Corporation Tax Receipts (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: I welcome all of the witnesses. I refer to Mr. Cody's opening statement. He rightly reminded us of section 851A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, which precludes him from discussing the tax affairs of any taxpayer. Why is that law in place? What is the logic behind that law?

Public Accounts Committee: Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 20: Corporation Tax Receipts (30 Nov 2017)

David Cullinane: I have seen enough episodes of "Yes Minister" to understand that there is a difference between people who oversee policy and people who have responsibility for the operation of policy. I clearly understand that it is Mr. Cody's role to implement whatever policy is in place so, obviously, I understand that. My point is that there are other countries where there is proper scrutiny and even...