Results 1,101-1,120 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (1 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I take it that the question refers to actions included in the Working Paper to Address Challenges Related to Peat Supply in the Horticulture Sector, recently published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. That Working Paper was prepared by officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and my...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention.I appreciate people's frustration when they are living close to a fibre network owned by a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: Further to my reply to Question No 169 on19 January 2022 (PQ2136/22) and my reply to Question 233 on 1 February 2022 (PQ4495/22), my Department does not have any additional information on the matter since the previous replies.

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Having regard to the unprecedented rise in electricity prices, I am pleased to have the opportunity to commend the Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022 to the House. I will open the debate by setting the context for the actions to be taken on foot of this Bill. Although many Members will be...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank all Deputies for their insightful comments on this emergency legislation. It is emergency legislation. We are trying to address an immediate problem within this quarter and get money into people's accounts. We are in winter. A large number of aspects of this problem were touched on by different Deputies. The problem of energy poverty was raised by many. I thank Deputy Joan...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I commend the Bill to the House.

Freedom of Information Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann: — recognises that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is undertaking a comprehensive review of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 to strengthen and modernise the legislation; and — resolves that the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2021 be...

Freedom of Information Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I thank all the Members who contributed to the debate on this legislation. I also reiterate my thanks to Deputies Mairéad Farrell and Clarke for bringing forward the Bill. I have already set out in some detail my views on the legislation as currently drafted, which highlighted technical and policy issues regarding further consideration. I have, however, heard and noted the comments...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Question refers to a premises located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High-Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department’s website www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention.  I appreciate people's frustration when they are living close to a fibre...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (3 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The premises referred to in the Question are located in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER area represents the area to be served by the network to be deployed under the NBP State led intervention.  I appreciate peoples frustration when they are living close to a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: That is a good question: is procurement slow and when we measure its speed, how do we compare with other countries? It is essential that we have rapid procurement but that we also manage to get good value for money, that we obtain goods that are high quality and that we do so in a transparent way. We have to comply with European procurement law, first. Public procurement is all about...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I have been told that someone might apply for a tender and they must type all their information in a second time, where it might have been there from another bid. So there is a suggestion that it should be stored. That is an IT system shortcoming. We are in the process of obtaining a new e-tenders system. The system for tendering, eTenders, is quite old at this stage. We have been...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I really think so. I have a particular IT focus myself. There was a lot of consultation with the people who take part in tenders to ask how they would like it to be done better. Any suggestions for improvements were incorporated in the terms recommended for the new tendering system. I think it will be something that is much faster and easier to use when applying for a contract. I take...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: For a start, the question is, does one have to use the frameworks for legal services or do Departments have to use the centrally agreed arrangements. It is Government policy - it is a decision of Government - that all divisions of Government need to use the available arrangements where they apply. There are frameworks for legal services. There are some that are specialist and niche...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: It is sensible always to use arbitration options where they are available. One cannot opt out of the legal process. If somebody wants to take one to court, he or she can. It is not always clear who is to blame in those cases when there are two parties and one cannot dismiss somebody, for example, as a candidate for a bid, because we have spent so much money on legal services or because we...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: When one has a procurement that ends up in protracted litigation, that certainly is a bad outcome. It is an expensive outcome for all sides and it is not something that anybody wants. When that happens, it is important to examine, carry out an inquiry and find out what is the cause of that. I guess that is why the report on the children's hospital was commissioned to see how things could...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: The Comptroller and Auditor General has a role in assessing to what extent there have been non-competitive procedures used for procurement across all Departments. The Comptroller and Auditor General goes in and compiles a report to see what proportion of contracts are non-compliant or non-competitive. Sometimes it is possible to have a non-competitive contract which is compliant. There are...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Ossian Smyth: I have more than words of comfort. We have done a lot of work with the SME representative bodies to make sure that they are included in these contracts, that they are fairly treated and that they are not pushed out by larger, better-resourced organisations that might then deliver a worse service to Government. We are therefore keen that we get small firms that successfully tender for...