Results 161-180 of 7,211 for speaker:Peter Burke

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Policy (28 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: 244. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if counties Longford and Westmeath will be excluded from the development of a lakelands tourism strategy by Fáilte Ireland despite being in possession of a prime location and geographical relevance to the brand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27570/16]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Policy (28 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: 245. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason County Longford would be included in Ireland's Ancient East tourism strategy when it is not in proximity to the east, shares limited cultural traits to the trail and especially at a time when a lakelands strategy is in development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27571/16]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Tourism Policy (28 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: 246. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the county known as the lakeland county would be excluded from a tourism strategy based around the concept and attraction of lakes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27572/16]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Applications (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: 66. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will expedite an application for free legal aid for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28019/16]

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: I thank the Chairman.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: May I ask Mr. McCarthy to give a brief overview of the skillset of the personnel who are involved in this inquiry? Will he give us an idea of what private sector experience his staff have? The Comptroller and Auditor General mentioned that the staff have been working on NAMA for a significant period and that they have significant audit experience. What other experience have they?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Mr. McCarthy mentioned his role in auditing the health service. Would it be common for his office to engage experts in assessing difficult decisions within the health service which are made or on which it adjudicates?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Would Mr. McCarthy accept that auditors are experts in accounting and audit and that it is quite common throughout the audit industry to use experts in areas like valuation of land and property and assessment of loan impairment values? It is a question of being sure the process they are undertaking is correct. Mr. McCarthy has made it reasonably clear in his report that there is a...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: I have another question about the relationship between the discount rate used in the report and the composition of assets. We are saying that a discount rate of 5.5%, which largely covers property in rural Northern Ireland and regional Britain, is equivalent to the rate that should be used to discount high-end property, shopping centres and property in central London. Does Mr. McCarthy not...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Nevertheless, business risk is obviously going to be a component in valuing a discount rate. The cost of funds to a company is a key aspect-----

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: In light of the business risk that is inherently present in the composition of the assets, and given the role of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General in assessing these matters, does Mr. McCarthy not think it would have been prudent to tender for expertise? I know he has said he is looking for additional resources to assist his office in preparing a section 226 report.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: In light of the very specific nature of this analysis - it takes great expertise to assess a discount rate for a particular portfolio - does Mr. McCarthy agree that, in retrospect, it was a mistake not to engage an expert in this field?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Does Mr. McCarthy believe his office had adequate time, on foot of the new information, to adjudicate on the new rate?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Is Mr. McCarthy happy with the process he undertook in advance of making a clear statement that there has probably been a loss of £190 million? Given that this is such a complex area, it is a very significant figure for him to hang his hat on.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Does the Comptroller and Auditor General accept that it is reasonable to have a debate on the 5.5% discount rate being overambitious? We have examined the composition of the rate and listened to the commentary on it. Other highly reputable experts in the field were involved. This is obviously a very difficult area to assess. As Mr. McCarthy set out, the methodology applied to cashflows...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: I wish to focus on the Comptroller and Auditor General's previous audits of NAMA because this is a very important issue. Mr. McCarthy can confirm that he is a permanent member of NAMA's audit committee. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Do they attend every single audit committee meeting?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Will Mr. McCarthy provide more detail? NAMA is a large State institution charged with delivering large numbers of loans from the banks and trying to make a profit for the taxpayer. How many meetings does his staff attend each year?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: Have staff from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General not been invited to all meetings?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 94 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: National Asset Management Agency Sale of Project Eagle (29 Sep 2016)

Peter Burke: How many meetings take place every year?