Results 1,661-1,680 of 5,157 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Indexation of Taxation and Social Protection System: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Johnson for joining us.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as teacht os comhair an choiste. My first question relates to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, NISRA, being the statistical body in the North. The Minister of State mentioned the work he is doing with regard to businesses, etc., and the economy. It obviously comprises the information in the North and the CSO is a southern...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: That would definitely be of interest. With regard to the census, will it contain any additional questions that might be pandemic-related? It will be an interesting census to look back on in years to come given the changes people have gone through over the past few years. Will there be questions on the increase in people working from home or anything else that could be pandemic-related? ...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Yes, absolutely. I understand that it was done before Covid-19 hit us. It is unfortunate, in a way, because I think it would be interesting to see those different changes happened as a result reflected. Many people will look back in years to come at this particular census. The Minister of State will be aware that Benefacts is a provider of high-quality data to the CSO. It was raised in...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I have one final question. If possible, could the Minister of State give a little bit of clarification on something he said this morning whereby there would be an open consultation process and that the project is going back to tender?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Yes.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: So, it would not be going back out to tender. It has gone twice. That is what I want to understand.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Of course.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 4 - Central Statistics Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: The more direct route.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach as teacht os comhair an choiste. On Vote 1, the spending on consultancy fees for the President's Vote will increase by 162%. What is this for? Will the Taoiseach provide details on that as it is quite significant?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Will the Taoiseach explain why it has risen by such a significant percentage?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: If the Taoiseach provides that additional detail, we will see how that relates to pre-Covid times.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I wish to move on to Vote 2, Department of the Taoiseach. This relates to the Civil Service accountability board, which is chaired by the Taoiseach. Will he clarify how many meetings he had last year?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Not at all?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: The reason I ask is because I was looking for the minutes of the meetings. I could only find minutes of the meetings in 2016. Has the Civil Service accountability board met since then? This committee and the Committee of Public Accounts produced the Report on the Processes and Procedures Applying to the Appointment of Senior Executives in the Public Service. Has the board met since 2016?...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: Yes, he has come before the committee. The Taoiseach is before us today and as he is the chair of the Civil Service accountability board, I thought it was important to ask him about that. However, he said that the board has not met since 2016. Some €15 million was spent on Covid-19 communications. We do not have a full figure-breakdown of the number of public communication...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: I understand that procurement can work in that way. I was not questioning that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: My final question is about the citizens' assemblies. In the Taoiseach's opening remarks, he spoke of his intention to have a citizens' assembly on drugs, and he mentioned two other citizens' assemblies. Has he given further thought to the establishment of a national citizens' assembly on the constitutional future of this island, in terms of the shared island unit etc. and the citizens' assembly?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (9 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: On the future-----

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Energy Conservation (10 Feb 2022)

Mairéad Farrell: 208. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is a grant available to replace windows and doors to ensure energy efficiency; if not, if such a grant is being considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7213/22]