Results 17,541-17,560 of 20,245 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: UL is seeking the okay from the HEA for that to be published. That has been requested. It is not the HEA's letter to us; that is the problem. The Deputy should feel free to comment on it, however.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: That issue also arose with regard to Dunnes Stores around what information was given to the governing authority.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: I notice in the conclusion of the letter that there was a discrepancy regarding the purchase price and what the governing authority was told.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: The HEA's preliminary examination, as it is called, is to me a damning indictment of the lack of governance and lack of proper process. The fact is that the governing authority, where the buck actually stops, was given misleading information, denied information or had information withheld from it. It is shocking. That letter shows there has been a complete failure here. The disappointing...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: This is actually worse than Dunnes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: It is far worse. The fact is that there were contract amendments that were not brought to the executive committee or governing authority and the absence or extent, or non-extent, of due diligence was not disclosed to the governing authority at key stages, and it goes on. It is shocking that UL did not demonstrate compliance with the public spending code and did not provide evidence of...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: -----under all those headings of value for money, due diligence and accurate information going to the governing authority. There is a whole list of failures. I look forward to the representatives appearing before the committee. I am also interested to hear the HEA's explanation as to how this debacle came about.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: It was new legislation.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: Okay.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: The Deputy can go ahead and comment on No. 2477.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: The committee will meet representatives from the Department next week.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: I will say to the Deputy that there are many legitimate complaints. The relevant witnesses will be before the committee next week.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: The fire certificate would be in the public interest, as would planning.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: Those issues are in the public interest.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: I agree. Local authorities are there to enforce planning conditions. If the statement that it does not require planning permission is based on the false information that it was previously a guesthouse, that needs to be rectified. Can we come back to that next week? We are deviating from the agenda. I take on board the Deputy's points. I do not know the exact location of the house. It...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: There are usually approximately 50 people in it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: Let us talk to the Department about the inspection of these types of premises in general. Does the Department go in and check that these premises meet requirements, including the need for washing machines, etc.?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: This has also arisen in other facilities. Is there a clear correlation between the number of residents for which payment is being made and the numbers in the residence? This is an issue we should raise with representatives of the Department when they come before the committee. Is that okay?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (11 Apr 2024)

Brian Stanley: We will come back to that issue next week. It is agreed to note and publish item No. 2488, pending the consent of the Higher Education Authority, HEA. If the HEA does not consent to the publication of the correspondence, it is proposed to only publish the letter from UL. Is that agreed? Agreed. We will move on to category C, which is correspondence from and relating to private...