Results 13,921-13,940 of 26,647 for speaker:John McGuinness

Public Accounts Committee: 2014 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Vote 41 - Office of Government Procurement
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 5 - Management of Government Grants
Chapter 6 - Payroll Accrual for National Accounts
Chapter 7 - National Lottery Fund (19 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: In his report Mr. Watt mentioned the Ombudsman, freedom of information and all of the various changes in that regard. My point concerns the work of committees of these Houses. There was a single taxpayer in whose case the Ombudsman recommended full payment on a particular issue. A half payment was made by the Revenue Commissioners. Ever since committees of the Houses, mainly those...

Public Accounts Committee: 2014 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Vote 41 - Office of Government Procurement
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 5 - Management of Government Grants
Chapter 6 - Payroll Accrual for National Accounts
Chapter 7 - National Lottery Fund (19 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: That is an example of someone deliberately ignoring the hearings of a committee which were signed off on by a number of Chairmen. The matter concerns every party to the case. The payment should be reviewed and someone should ask about it. I do not know why the money is not being paid, particularly given the independence of the Ombudsman and the various reviews undertaken in the Houses and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2014 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Vote 41 - Office of Government Procurement
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 5 - Management of Government Grants
Chapter 6 - Payroll Accrual for National Accounts
Chapter 7 - National Lottery Fund (19 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: That is the nature of the beast; it is democracy and it happens in the Houses.

Public Accounts Committee: 2014 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Vote 41 - Office of Government Procurement
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 5 - Management of Government Grants
Chapter 6 - Payroll Accrual for National Accounts
Chapter 7 - National Lottery Fund (19 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: Yes, it can. It happens in the Dáil and the Seanad, as well as in other committees, and I cannot see it changing any time soon. In fact, I have seen a marked change in the opposite direction. The conversation that was had with the Deputy earlier is one that we could have about politicians, believe it or not. The point is we cannot change that. It is the way it is, and those who come...

Public Accounts Committee: 2014 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Vote 41 - Office of Government Procurement
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 5 - Management of Government Grants
Chapter 6 - Payroll Accrual for National Accounts
Chapter 7 - National Lottery Fund (19 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: When Secretaries General come in here, it is far better that they have that type of conversation rather than trying to hide behind some fact or other.

Public Accounts Committee: 2014 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Vote 41 - Office of Government Procurement
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 5 - Management of Government Grants
Chapter 6 - Payroll Accrual for National Accounts
Chapter 7 - National Lottery Fund (19 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: Otherwise, it will not change. That brings us to the point about local government. Reports, including value-for money reports, concerning local government are produced but they never get debated in the real public sense of what happens in this committee. The public sees that and if we ask people whether they want that type of secrecy or an open public debate, they want to see the latter....

Public Accounts Committee: 2014 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Vote 41 - Office of Government Procurement
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 5 - Management of Government Grants
Chapter 6 - Payroll Accrual for National Accounts
Chapter 7 - National Lottery Fund (19 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: Is it agreed to dispose of Votes, 11, 12, 18 and 41 and Chapters 4 to 7, inclusive? Agreed. I thank Mr. Watt and his officials for attending the meeting. I have enjoyed our exchanges in the past few years. It has been good and healthy for our democracy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (24 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: 396. To ask the Minister for Health if an early assessment appointment will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny, as the case is urgent; and if he will expedite the matter. [41497/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Procedures (24 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: 397. To ask the Minister for Health if an operation for a hip replacement will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [41499/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (24 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: 398. To ask the Minister for Health the progress he is making in ensuring that the level of funding required to continue the services approved by the L'Arche Community in County Kilkenny is put in place; the number of meetings held by his Department and the Health Service Executive to resolve this issue; if he is aware that the L'Arche Community is faced with possible and imminent closure due...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Sector Pensions (25 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: 136. To ask the Minister for Defence the arrangements in place to pay Army pensions in December; if the pensions will be paid in mid-December; if he has received submissions from pensioners regarding this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41900/15]

Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: Like others, I welcome this Bill, but I wonder about its impact in terms of the custodial sentences that might be granted. Have we the places to accommodate all the extra individuals who might be sent to prison? I also question the extent to which the Garda can investigate every burglary. It will require extra resources, which must include not only cars but also manpower and the ability to...

Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: I will do so, but I wish to say that beyond this day we need to engage with the police and communities? We need to support them by funding text alert and community alert systems. Without that we are going to fail.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: 168. To ask the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [42178/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Administration (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: 169. To ask the Minister for Health if a date for surgery will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [42179/15]

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: Are the minutes of our meeting of 19 November 2015 agreed? Agreed. Are there any matters arising from the minutes?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: We had this discussion last week with regard to the Fennelly commission and IBRC. To allay any fears, Deputy McDonald, it has nothing to do with the issue being investigated, getting to the bottom of it and dealing with it in an effective way. However, the history of tribunals and other investigations is that once they are established by the House, they appear to get out the gap and costs...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: We are not at odds here.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: Therefore, we will write to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and give notice to the Department of Finance, representatives of which are due to appear before us next week that this matter may be raised again. We will ask the Department of Expenditure and Reform to give us the figures we have requested before the end of business today, given that those figures are apparently...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

John McGuinness: Yes. We want as much complete information as we can get. That is what we were promised last week but we should have it today. We will send a pigeon across to Mr. Watt's office and see if we can get that information from him.