Results 2,241-2,260 of 8,500 for speaker:John Brady

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fire Service (6 Jul 2023)

John Brady: The Minister has been found wanting. The Government, and successive Governments, have been found wanting for more than 20 years, because this crisis has not just evolved over the last weeks or months. This has been a crisis for 20 years or more. The Minister talks about politicising an issue but it has been politicised because of the successive failures of the political establishment,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fire Service (6 Jul 2023)

John Brady: 3. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide an update on his efforts to resolve the issues of pay, recruitment, retention and rosters in the retained firefighters service. [33420/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fire Service (6 Jul 2023)

John Brady: This question is to ask the Minister to provide an update on any efforts he is taking to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the retained fire service that has resulted in industrial action and strike action, which is currently suspended and now before the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. What actions is the Minister taking now to address these key issues that affect the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Fire Service (6 Jul 2023)

John Brady: It was the Minister's failure to address the recruitment and retention crisis that destabilised the retained fire service right across the State and forced these retained firefighters into having no alternative but to initiate industrial and strike action. This is down to the Minister and his consistent failure. We know the key issues here. We know the constraints that have been placed on...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: Last week, it was stated that the chief financial officer was only in the role for three days when the 2017, 2018 and 2019 top talent earnings were released on 20 January 2021. In the opening statement from Ms O’Keeffe, she questioned that and said that information was incorrect.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: Again, in Ms O’Keeffe's opening statement, she states that she was advised by either the DG or the head of content that a commercial arrangement had been proposed. Does Ms O’Keeffe know who that proposal was from?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: Ms O’Keeffe said in her opening statement that either the DG or the head of content proposed the commercial arrangement. This is when negotiations had essentially broken down, the agent representing Mr. Tubridy had rejected the proposal that was on the table and it then emerged that a commercial arrangement had been proposed. Does Ms O’Keeffe know who that was proposed by?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: Okay, so one of those proposed this commercial agreement.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: The initial commercial arrangement. With regard to Ms O’Keeffe's role as CFO, I appreciate she is no longer in the position. In terms of the oversight of the expenditure on the barter account, I know she has stated that she had financial control. What does financial control mean? Ms O’Keeffe had access to expenditure and if there was an item there that needed clarity, is...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: Would Ms O’Keeffe have got an itemised expenditure list?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: No. It was not that level of financial control. Okay.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: That is perfect. On a question to the current chief financial officer, Mr. Collins, when did he bring the barter account onto the balance sheet? What year was that?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: In his evidence last week, when questioned, he said that in terms of 2022, about €330,000 went through the account, and in 2019, €500,000 went through it.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: In gross terms. That was a driving factor as to why Mr. Collins decided to-----

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: Did Mr. Collins have a conversation with the director of commercial?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: Obviously, Mr. Collins had concerns. Did he express those concerns in terms of what was a sizeable increase, given what the ex-CFO has said, in the expenditure on some of these junkets and the slush fund on which we have heard the evidence.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: But Mr. Collins obviously had concerns about the huge increase.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: In terms of the agreement being underwritten, Ms O’Keeffe said it was at the request of Mr. Noel Kelly that the agreement would be underwritten by RTÉ and she stated that she opposed that. Why did she oppose that?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: So Ms O’Keeffe was doing her job and she expressed those serious concerns regarding the potential risk if that agreement was underwritten by RTÉ.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Transparency of RTÉ Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Jul 2023)

John Brady: In terms of the handover from Ms O'Keeffe to the incoming chief financial officer, CFO, she has stated she briefed extensively in terms of the negotiations and where things were at. I imagine she would have relayed that critical element to Mr. Collins who was the incoming CFO, that there was an attempt or a suggestion it would be underwritten.