Results 10,961-10,980 of 21,499 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (21 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----will be their first appearance and that we are now engaged in what will be an extensive examination of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (21 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yes.

Leaders' Questions (28 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Answer the question.

Water Charges: Motion [Private Members] (28 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thought for one second that I only had one minute and nine seconds. I would have had to speak very quickly.

Water Charges: Motion [Private Members] (28 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: From listening to the debate, this path has been well trodden. We have heard all of the arguments why it is unacceptable to the majority that people should pay for domestic water supplies a second time. The Minister of State is right that nothing is free. Yes, things have to be paid for. Those of us in elected office need to identify from where the moneys will come. That is entirely...

Water Charges: Motion [Private Members] (28 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yet those on the Fianna Fáil benches pursue their policy of prevarication, delay and, ultimately, deception. I do not believe they intend to see through on their promise to abolish water charges. Those on the Government and Fianna Fáil benches need to understand that those who proposed the introduction of domestic water charges have lost the argument. I heard Deputy Barry Cowen,...

Road Traffic Bill 2016 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: I warmly welcome the introduction of this legislation. In particular, I welcome the provision allowing for the creation of a new special speed limit of 20 km/h. Last year, I, along with Deputy Ellis, introduced the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, known as Jake's law. It was introduced in memory of Jake Brennan, who was knocked down outside his home in Kilkenny on 12 June 2014. Six year old...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would like to note one matter. Maybe it is not strictly a matter arising, but it is a matter that arises. I refer to the slate of witnesses that has been agreed so far for the hearings we are going to have. Obviously, we will add to that we as proceed. The question of securing documents remains an ongoing process.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yes, I have that.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is absolutely fair enough. I ask for this committee to be given an opportunity to pause for reflection after today's meeting.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: We should reflect on matters that will arise-----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----and individuals and papers that we will seek.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is precisely what I am trying to establish.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank the Chair.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Go raibh maith agat, to Mr. McCarthy and his team. NAMA, in addition to everything else, criticised Mr. McCarthy for what it claims was a refusal to meet with the board. Did Mr. McCarthy refuse to meet with the board?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: It also criticised Mr. McCarthy for not making comparisons with other bodies and it referred particularly to the IBRC loan portfolios. I think it said he was comparing NAMA with NAMA. I assume Mr. McCarthy’s position is that the audit process is a case of comparing NAMA with NAMA. Can he comment briefly on that, particularly the IBRC comparison?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Returning to Lazard as the sale advisers, Mr. McCarthy sets out very clearly that in this instance, and it was not unique, NAMA departed from what would be considered standard practice. He cites, for instance, that as loan sale advisers they are not asked to carry out a valuation. They do not give the kind of comprehensive marketing strategy that might be expected in normal practice. It did...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Who had control of that?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: Does the witness know who precisely in NAMA it was? Was it asset recovery?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Mary Lou McDonald: So one presumes that Ronnie Hanna, as head of asset recovery, was in charge of that. One thing that intrigued me is that the Comptroller and Auditor General made reference to the letter of certification, or whatever the term is, at the end of the process from Lazard. In the his report, he cites that once Lazard was engaged, it did not go through the standard procurement process. It was...