Results 1,741-1,760 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts (27 Jun 2013)

Simon Harris: I thank Ms Tallon.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: 12. To ask the Taoiseach his plans to hold a referendum to abolish Seanad Éireann. [31844/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Referendum (2 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: I very much welcome the advancement of a Seanad referendum, which was a commitment the Taoiseach personally, and both parties in government, gave in advance of the election and I am pleased to see it progressing. The Taoiseach spoke about the establishment of a referendum commission. It is important that the commission is up and running at an early stage but considering the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (2 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: 393. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures that have been taken to ensure that the delays encountered by students applying for the third level grant have been rectified; the additional resources that have been allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32162/13]

Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: Stick to the script.

Other Questions: Child Care Services Provision (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: I very much welcome the Minister's work on qualifications for the child care sector. I wish to raise a slightly different aspect, however. In my constituency, the Bray Institute of Further Education already offers a level 5 course in childhood care and education and a level 6 course in early childhood and education. BIFE is really leading the way in this regard, but the difficulty is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Alternative Energy Projects (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: 179. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the current status of the foreshore lease granted in respect of the 220 turbine wind farm at Codling Bank off the coast of County Wicklow; when same was granted; the process undertaken when granting such a foreshore lease; if his Department expects construction works to begin in the near...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licences Appeals (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: 180. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the controls his Department can exert to review or rescind a previously granted foreshore lease; the situations in which such a review may occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32785/13]

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: I ask that we would have a week to consider this and that we would take this matter at the start of our meeting next Thursday.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: Yes. I would like if we could deal with it when dealing with correspondence next Thursday.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: I wish to raise a minor point which I raised with the Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government last week. It highlights yet again our lack of oversight of local authorities and I want to place it on the record of the committee, especially when we see media reports in The Sunday Timesof council chambers under a local government reform programme...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 17 - European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
FÁS Financial Statements 2012
National Training Fund (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: I thank Mr. Ó Foghlú and Mr. O'Toole and their teams for being here today. In my questions, I will focus on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, and Deputy Nolan on FÁS. If I can make one comment, I acknowledge what Mr. O'Toole acknowledges in his statement. We have had many a stormy meeting with FÁS at this committee, in my time and previously, but as FÁS...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 17 - European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
FÁS Financial Statements 2012
National Training Fund (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: That is reasonable. Mr. Ó Foghlú mentioned the issue of linkages. There has been some success in finding linkages from other companies, spin-offs or spun-off areas that are adversely affected by the closure of a firm. On a cursory glance, one would be concerned to see that there were no linkages established with construction programmes. When one goes beyond a cursory look, one...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 17 - European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
FÁS Financial Statements 2012
National Training Fund (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: Yes, supplier and downstream.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 17 - European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
FÁS Financial Statements 2012
National Training Fund (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: I want to explore the issue of using private companies to manage the records of one of these programmes, most specifically the SR Technics one. The Comptroller and Auditor General's report states the records for the SR Technics programme were collated by a private company. The next point outlines how there can be difficulties in that there may be long periods before valid records are...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 17 - European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
FÁS Financial Statements 2012
National Training Fund (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: Consider the use of private colleges to provide course programmes for people availing of intervention. It refers to courses which are not available within the public system. Can Mr. Ó Foghlú expand on what such courses are?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 17 - European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
FÁS Financial Statements 2012
National Training Fund (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: The area about which I am most critical and which needs most improvement, as the Department has acknowledged in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, is the evaluation of outcomes. The Department has also acknowledged it to an extent today. People who have availed of an intervention are asked to complete a survey. In the case of SR Technics, the rate of non-response to the survey...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 17 - European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
FÁS Financial Statements 2012
National Training Fund (4 Jul 2013)

Simon Harris: That sounds like a dramatic improvement, which is good. I have read the Department's views on the issue of the return of €11 million, which was not spent. I understand that the issue is more complex than it appears at first glance. Some people would take the view that the Department received €11 million which it did not spend, whereas the Department might say that there was...