Results 21,121-21,140 of 26,624 for speaker:John McGuinness
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I was away in August and perhaps on a trade mission in September. The particular e-mail that the official wrote was out of a reconciliation. We were sitting down at that stage, talking to each other and there was a better understanding of these trade missions and my role in the context of the trade section. I do not have the document in front of me but I believe he acknowledged in the...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: My understanding is that on the day I would have received correspondence on this, the 7th or whenever it was, letters would then have been issued to the other people concerned. To return to the point made by Deputy Donohoe and to link it in, these people were never told that FOI requests had been submitted concerning them. I do not know the reason for that. Obviously-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: Pardon?
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I know, for example, that my son was identified. The drivers were also identified and so were my secretaries. Perhaps they were not identified. I do not know what the FOI request was. However, these others were informed the FOI had been issued and that the information was about to be released.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I think it is a matter for the Comptroller and Auditor General, if the committee requests that. Normally, in cases where one is going to make recommendations generally across the political or administrative system, the Secretary General would look at the various Departments and make the recommendations. I am sure the committee could also make recommendations.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: Provided it included everybody.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: The issue of me travelling in 2008 has been taken as if I was the only person who travelled then. Many others travelled in 2008. I remember being a member of this committee, between 2002 and 2007, when members and wives travelled and members paid for their wives. This was not unusual.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: Yes. One can examine the activities of committees, chairmen and Members down through the years and one will see that down through the years, Ministers, Ministers of State and Members travelled at a cost to the State. They may have brought their wives with them and paid for their wives.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I do not know that. As I understand it, the Member would reimburse the Department or committee at that time. What I am being asked - I want to answer the question - is should all of that and all of the costs associated with every Minister or Minister of State who travelled be referred to the Comptroller and Auditor General. I heard the Comptroller and Auditor General answer a question...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I am aware of that happening. I do not know whether it happened with regard to other committees, but I know it happened with this one. To be quite frank-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I have been identified and I do not see why anybody else cannot be identified. Deputy Ross spoke of my family, so I do not see why I should not speak about somebody else.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I am going to help the Deputy out here. One of the issues here is that freedom of information has cost Departments a considerable amount of money. However, long may the facility to make FOI requests last. I have no problem at all in that regard and I have said that. Under the chairmanship at the time of Deputy Michael Noonan, a group travelled from this committee to Sacramento. I was...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: I answered the Deputy's question.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: The question was very general.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: The direct answer to that is that of course it does. Actions taken in one's life, engagements and debate colour one's position in either a positive or negative way.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: During the period of 2008-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: No, I do not think so. Is the Deputy asking whether a new person was appointed?
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: No, it was maternity leave and there was a difficulty in getting appropriately skilled staff to take up positions in the office. There was, therefore, a turnover of staff and a difficulty there and the people who worked directly for me prior to the maternity leave being taken had to provide cover. In addition to constituency and other work, they were expected to do departmental work because...
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: The post was not filled for the person who was on maternity leave.
- Public Accounts Committee: Statement by Chairman (13 Jun 2013)
John McGuinness: The person who left the post on maternity leave was very competent and skilled.