Results 18,181-18,200 of 26,656 for speaker:John McGuinness

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Votes 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: How often does it meet?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Votes 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: Has there been direct contact with small business representative bodies?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Votes 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: You all get up early in the morning.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Votes 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: Local government is completely separate and there is no engagement between it and the Department. I ask this question because of the number of building contractors and so on who complain about trying to gain access to local government contracts for the construction of homes.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Votes 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: Is there a strong partnership between it and the Department?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Votes 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: My interest is in protecting jobs in smaller businesses that find it hard to collaborate with competitors in order to gain contracts. They are excluded from some local government and more lucrative national government contracts.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Message to Dáil (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: In accordance with Standing Order 90, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:The Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach has completed its consideration of the following Revised Estimates for public services for the year ending 31 December 2018: Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform; Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances; Vote 14 -...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: I call the Minister.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: I will follow on from Deputy Pearse Doherty with some questions. This morning, media reports indicate that banking analysts are saying that to do anything with legislation or regulation relating to the sale of Permanent TSB loans would make it less attractive for the vultures. That gives us a sense of the type of market we are now into. In commentary this morning, Davy stockbrokers pointed...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: That is clear. In respect of the other banks and what is generally happening with the sale of SME loans, some of which involve good businesses attached to bad loans and so on, it is reported that agricultural land is now being examined by the banks relative to the loans they have issued to the farming community. In the context of reviewing the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: In the past few weeks and last night on "The Late Debate" a lady came forward whose house had been repossessed, the bank having pursued her relentlessly. The amount of money involved was €60,000. She gave her experience and on radio poured out her life story. Her case is similar to many I have heard and the bank continues to pursue her. I say this in the light of what Mr....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: I respect that and will not continue on this line of questioning because the Minister is going to review the legislation and the regulations. The families affected - indeed all of us - have seen the result of the intervention of the banks on the night of the crisis. Exceptional circumstances dictated an exceptional response. That happened and the banks were saved. As our report shows,...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: I turn to investment. The Department invests in various projects and initiatives. Will the Minister look at departmental investment in iCare, the project run by Mr. David Hall to assist people in difficulty with the banks to continue with their mortgages through his independent organisation? It is funded by the banks and of benefit to homeowners in difficulty. It might be an investment...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: Deputy Martin Kenny referred to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General which comes within the Estimate for the Minister's Department. In the context of reform and the funding of the office, has the Department, with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, considered merging both audit operations to achieve greater efficiency, value for money, transparency and...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: It was about the local government audit function and the audits conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Would it not be more efficient to have one department with responsibility for audits under the auspices of the Comptroller and Auditor General? It would help to make local government more accountable and transparent. Its audits are conducted in secret and there is not much...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: I am not talking about State-run organisations. I am talking about allowing the Comptroller and Auditor General to pursue the spend of taxpayers' money, which is substantial. Deputy Kelly raised the issue this morning and drew the Minister's attention to the fact that the HSE has procurement issues relating to a considerable amount of money. Has the Minister consulted with the Comptroller...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: The Minister has no plans for reform, or to extend the powers of the Comptroller and Auditor General. People believe the Comptroller and Auditor General has the ability to carry out a forensic examination of accounts and always does so but he does not. He does not always have the ability to do it.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: There is not much change there. There is now a focus on budgets and if we were to concentrate on the hole in public finances and the waste of public money uncovered by the Comptroller and Auditor General year in, year out, it might prevent a considerable amount of waste and inefficiency. This would give the Minister more to allocate to Departments and projects.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: In passing the legislation on Irish Water recently, a commitment was given that Irish Water would be audited in the future by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Is progress being made on legislation for that purpose or is it just a matter of including Irish Water in the list of entities examined and audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (22 Feb 2018)

John McGuinness: My final question relates to insurance. We committed to quarterly meetings with the previous Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the new Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy and we have had some exchanges on the issue. I read headlines recently commending the fact that insurance premiums had come down but that is not really true across the sector. I still get complaints from taxi...