Results 14,841-14,860 of 26,653 for speaker:John McGuinness

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: How much is that costing per annum?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Per year?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Is that €105,000 or €120,000?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Okay. Is that building completely empty?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: How long has the building not been in use?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Since 2015, Island House has been vacant and the State has been paying rent for it of €105,120. Is that correct?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: How long will that continue?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Yes, but how long will that take?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Since 2015, the State has had this property, at a rent of €4,000 per year-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: What is the potential for a solution here?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: The end of 2015.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: That does not make it right.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: How long would one have to work in the private sector to pay taxes of €105,000 per year? That is what it comes down to. It is taxpayers' money in all of these cases and there should be a greater degree of urgency around the management of those properties. This is something that we can revisit. In terms of staffing at the various OPW sites, is there agreement with the unions...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Has the OPW reduced the number of groundsmen and staff?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Is the OPW moving more towards the private sector in the context of security?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Kilkenny Castle is a major heritage site attracting large numbers of visitors but there is only one groundsman employed there. I would urge the Minister of State to examine that and let me know the reason for it. Is that also the case with other sites? Is it the OPW's intention to recruit additional staff to fill any vacancies that may exist?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: Yes.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: I wish to refer now to the issue of Durrow Castle. When the OPW makes a grant available for restoration works, how does it carry forward that money if it is not used in a given year but will be used in the following year? Is there a figure in the Estimates which refers to grants that have not been spent but that will be spent in the future? How is the drawdown of these grants arranged?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: That is the usual answer from officials and Ministers who do not want to get into the detail of these things. I am just asking a question, namely, where a grant has been approved by a Minister in the past but the money has not been drawn down, where does that appear in the Department's books?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Jun 2016)

John McGuinness: No. Somebody here should know the answer. The Minister of State has four officials with him. I appreciate that he is new to his role but there must be someone who can provide an answer to this question. These are the Estimates and I want to know if they include the payment of a grant to a particular organisation. Where is the figure for that grant in the books?