Results 18,001-18,020 of 34,942 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: We will put the Secretary General on notice. We will allocate 15 minutes to that. Since it is not the main business of our meeting we should limit it to those members who have a particular interest in it. We will want to move on to the main business of the meeting. Given that the man will be here and we have a letter from him today, I believe we should have a short discussion on the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: That will be communicated to the Department of Education and Skills after today's meeting in advance of next week. That is the reply from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is being returned to the Department and we will ask for a comprehensive detailed reply. The next item is 860B, correspondence dated 27 October from Ray Mitchell, parliamentary affairs division of the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: We will note that and keep it under control. We will be coming to the issue of financial reporting in the public service separately in a few minutes. The next item is correspondence No. 866B from Mr. Marty Whelan of HIQA providing follow-up information to the committee arising from the meeting on 28 September. Matters covered include risk profiling in HIQA and the lease for HIQA's office...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: Yes, it is the same one. Further information is to come and we will consider it when we get it. That may happen next week. The next item is No. 880B, correspondence dated 7 November 2017 from the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Séamus McCarthy, attaching two notes on non-standard accounting processes in bodies audited by his office and accounts which are operated outside the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: We will note and publish it but will hold over the discussion on it. I ask members to keep it to hand because it is a valuable source of information for us in terms of our work. I thank the Comptroller and Auditor General for that document. Category C is correspondence from or in relation to private individuals and any other correspondence.Item No. 827C was held over from our last...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: There is correspondence on its way back from IDA Ireland and we will discuss the matter next week. We will note that and hold it over until next week. Nos.850C and 868C are items of correspondence, dated 19 October 2017 and 1 November 2017, from myself with responses to two parliamentary questions on the costs associated with the opening of Stepaside Garda station in 2016 and 2017. The...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: Is the Deputy satisfied that we write back stating that it is not our intention to pursue this matter further but that Deputy MacSharry dissented from the decision?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: Yes. We can write that. Could we agree to sending the letter? I know we normally operate as a committee. I think it is only right for Deputy MacSharry to make his point because it is his area and he wants to be involved.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: I looked at the case and there is High Court decision but I do not know anything about the details. The two organisations involved have two different interpretations of it. At this stage I think it is a matter for the Higher Education Authority, HEA, which is responsible for those organisations. We should pass the matter on to the HEA and ask it to follow up on it. It is more appropriate...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: Yes, in due course. I think we will forward this correspondence to the HEA, ask it to follow it up and keep us informed.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: That would be up to us to decide. The issue is whether the matter should be examined by the HEA.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: Would the HEA have a role in talking to the two parties, which we do not have? That is not our job.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: Of course. I expect that to be the case.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: Okay.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: I think we will ask the HEA and the fact that we are doing so might give it a little bit of added impetus, but we must be mindful of the fact that the Comptroller and Auditor General has looked at the issue and he feels there is nothing in it for him to bring to our attention. We will send the matter to the HEA for it to deal with it and to keep us updated on progress. Is that agreed?...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: I think the issue was raised during Leaders' Questions this week. Deputy Murphy's point is correct. We will send the correspondence to the Joint Committee on Health. I think we should also send it to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform because the issue is a difficult one. When the minimum wage rises as a result of Government legislation, those who are employing people on the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: They are not-----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: They think we can sort out everything. An individual wrote to us about this issue. We did not go to the county councils on it. All we did was write to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government because we just deal with Departments. The councils receive their funding from the Department so we asked it to give us information on it. We are not investigating the matter but are...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: It is good to put that on the record and I thank Deputy Murphy for that. The next item, No. 873C is correspondence dated 3 November 2017 from Mr. Tom Hogan, HSE consultant, clarifying elements of a letter received by the committee from HSE management on consultants' pay. We will note and publish that. Item No. 874C (i) to (iv) is correspondence dated 6 November 2017 from Mr. Michael...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Nov 2017)

Seán Fleming: No because ETBI does not have a major role. It receives very little funding and is just an umbrella group. It has no function in terms of funding. It is simply an association of the ETBs. It provides some information and training courses but it has no governance role. The HEA and the Department are the ones with a direct role in this area. We considered this matter previously but...