Results 21,541-21,560 of 34,777 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: We will bear that information in mind. We have an in as far as the commission is concerned but not when it comes to the local authorities.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: For the immediate next meeting we will invite the Department in here to deal with the progress made under the land aggregation scheme, which has a specific chapter, and central Government funding of local authorities. We will tell the Secretary General that he will be asked about the commission that oversees the audit of local authorities.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: That is good. From that point of view, the Secretary General will be ready to deal with the topic and we will take matters from there. Next week we will try to finalise a work programme for the coming month. The next item on the agenda is any other business. I do not think there is any such business.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: I understand that the Deputy must leave.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: I propose that, before inviting the witnesses in to deal with the guardian ad litemreport, we go into private session in order to discuss where matters stand regarding the draft report on Project Eagle. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: Today we are dealing with the Comptroller and Auditor general report 2015, chapter 11, which deals with the guardian ad litemservice. We are joined by representatives of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla. Specifically, from the Department we are joined by Dr. Fergal Lynch, Secretary General; Ms Éimear Fisher, assistant secretary; Ms Lara Hynes, principal officer;...

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: The Comptroller and Auditor General is referring to page 133.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: The figures should be reversed.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: Where is that?

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: I thank the Comptroller and Auditor General. I invite the Secretary General of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Fergal Lynch, to make his opening statement.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: I thank the witness for a concise opening statement. At this stage, I invite Deputy Josepha Madigan to begin. She has 20 minutes.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: Before I call Deputy Cassells, I wish to clarify one item that arose. Dr. Lynch said that the legislation being drafted would provide for a single national provider and he said the Department is going through a tendering process. Has it been decided to privatise the service or should it be part of the State service if the Department is going for procurement?

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: That is exactly where I thought this was leading. If the Department goes through public procurement and contracts it out to one provider, how can it come along the following year and specify in legislation that it will be incorporated in a statutory structure with people paid a salary, like the Probation Service, having just put the other in place? From the point of view of the Committee of...

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: Okay.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: Dr. Lynch mentioned three years or five years. Would it be important that the contract not be so long that if there is a decision to work within the existing statutory structure, which we all think is a good idea, we do not find ourselves stuck with a five-year contract? The Department should be conscious when it goes through procurement that it does not tie its hands and end up in a...

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: I ask Mr. McBride to provide it to one of the secretariat officials and we will photocopy it, if that is reasonable. One of our staff will make photocopies for every member. Is Mr. McBride happy to circulate that sheet of paper?

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: I thank Mr. McBride. That will be done.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: I have to ask the Deputy to stop because somebody's mobile phone is interfering with the sound recording system. We cannot hear what is being said.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: For the benefit of the public, will Dr. Lynch explain the difference between child welfare cases and child protection cases? He understands the subtle differences but not everybody does.

Public Accounts Committee: Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2015
Chapter 11 - Guardian Ad Litem Service (19 Jan 2017)

Seán Fleming: Some of those comments are probably more directed at the Minister and the political heads of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, rather than at Dr. Lynch. Some of them are on policy, but we accept that, so I do not expect Dr. Lynch to get into that argument. I call Deputy Murphy.