Results 15,341-15,360 of 26,653 for speaker:John McGuinness

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: That is twisting my words.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: The point I am making is that greater accountability is required for how taxpayers' money is spent, down to the point where it is spent. That requires reform of the legislation. I am not pointing a finger at a particular Department. I am saying there is a significant lack of oversight of the spending of taxpayers' money and how it is reported to the parent Department and thereafter the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: I am speaking about accountability through a particular office for the spending of a particular amount of money which is quite large. I use the school transport system as an example, but there are others. I have said privately to the Minister that the provision in the legislation which empowers the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General to examine the spending of taxpayers money,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Will it be made up of officials from Departments or will it comprise persons who are competent in the area? Will there be an input from business and other areas?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Will the members of the commission be appointed by the Minister or will different sectors appoint individuals to it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Might Michael O'Leary be a member of it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: How many individuals who have come directly from the private sector are employed in the higher levels of the Civil Service now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Yes, but they are recently appointed. You might let us have the information on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: I heard on the radio this morning that the Garda representatives wish to meet you. Do you consider that a worthwhile step in terms of their negotiations?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: I should explain the absence of members, particularly Members of the Seanad. They are currently listening to the Taoiseach. I hope you understand.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Exactly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: The Minister's argument is that the Deputy should not worry because he is in safe hands.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: The Deputy should not worry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Deputy D'Arcy is the only person who is worried. I do not know why he is worried when there are 15 officials present who are carrying the burden of worry on our behalf.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: The Minister worries too; he does not sleep at night knowing he must appear before the committee. I have a brief point to make. In terms of State employees, certain Departments employ people on contracts and at some point let them go and replace them with others on similar contracts. Why do such employees not have their contracts extended when there is more work to be done? It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: I could give a number of examples but the one that comes to mind is the Companies Registration Office which is under considerable pressure as a result of the decision that people do not have to go to court to register a file. The office employs people on contracts which expire after a certain period, at which point someone else will be appointed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Yes. This does not seem to make sense. If I had an employee on a contract who was doing the job well, I would extend the contract rather than having to train someone else to do the same job, which is happening at present. I am merely bringing this matter to the Minister's attention.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: How is the Department preparing for Brexit under its various programmes? How is the Minister dealing with the issue and what future planning is taking place? It has taken up a considerable amount of time and there are three areas in which it is impacting directly on my Department. The first is the mid-term consequences for economic growth in the State and effect this could have on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: Within the Department there must be a way - I am sure the Minister is doing this - of getting that message out about Brexit, about where the weaknesses are and how the Government may react in particular circumstances. This is important for those that provide employment in this country and those who are employed in order that there will be as much certainty as one can provide.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (29 Sep 2016)

John McGuinness: I am sure committee members would appreciate receiving any information the Minister might have on the general approach being taken to Brexit.