Results 21,161-21,180 of 26,081 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: Excuse me, I refer to the individual service level agreements with the agencies. They must be approved by the HSE. Surely that gives it a veto over the agencies to ensure they are in compliance with Government pay scales.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: I ask Dr. Smith to respond because his report made reference to their reliance on various criteria as their explanation for breaching Government pay scales. He might outline the reasons, which date back to 1996. People are concerned that the money they have raised through fund raising is being spent on other than front-line services. I am worried this will tarnish the great work that is...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: I know about that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: Approximately 10% of that €31 million was for funded allowances for 191 people, according to the report.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: I ask Dr. Smith to outline the reasons they gave for paying these allowances in breach of Government policy.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: In Dr. Smith's option, were they reasonable in taking that approach?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: When did Dr. Smith reach a point where there was no longer any ambiguity on whether the agencies were in breach of Government pay scales?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: Looking through the internal report by Dr. Smith, who I welcome, I can see that the person responsible for implementing the 22 recommendations is the national director of HR, Mr. Barry O'Brien. Is there a reason Mr. O'Brien is not here today?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: Our role as the Committee of Public Accounts is to ensure that the taxpayer is getting proper value for money. Section 38 agencies do very good work. I am looking at it from the perspective of the end user in terms of hospitals and the various agencies and disabilities. Side by side with that, there are difficulties with pay scales for people working in these organisations, particularly at...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: Why do those four hospitals or agencies come within the Comptroller and Auditor General's ambit and the others do not?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is there a logic to it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: On procurement, will the Chairman request that the Department place specific emphasis on the SME aspect?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: There must be a focus on smaller SMEs being able to compete for that work.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: What is the fourth institution?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: I have not had the opportunity to read what the Comptroller and Auditor General has had to say on Vote 39. Did he consider the position of section 38 organisations and agencies in the context of pay policies, etc? Did this matter register on his radar?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: The original restriction was a 50% restriction, but this is a timing issue. Am I correct in saying that those losses could have been used by the bank over time? It is not as if there is a loss to the Exchequer; there is a timing issue. Am I correct in saying that?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: The banking levy is being brought in as well, which would counteract the timing issue. Can the Minister explain that?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome amendment No. 39 and the provision which allows the tax credit to be transferred from one carer to the other, with agreement. However, in terms of practicalities, there are situations, unfortunately, where the mother and father do not get on. If the primary carer is not paying tax or cannot effectively use the tax credit in a tax year, a practical option might be to provide that...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: The minimum threshold is €5,000. If someone were to spend a combined total of €5,000 over three years, could he or she make a claim? If the person concerned was to reach the threshold of €5,000 by 2015, would he or she be entitled to the credit based on when the work was included and when the value reached €5,000? If he or she was to reach the threshold by 2015,...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Nov 2013)

Kieran O'Donnell: Am I correct in stating the figure of €5,000 referred to in amendment No. 12 is VAT inclusive?