Results 23,221-23,240 of 33,044 for speaker:Catherine Connolly

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Let me ask my question. A Civil Service management board was set up to oversee this.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: The mechanism for oversight for the strategic communications unit is a subcommittee of Secretaries General from the CSMB which acts as a high-level working group. Presumably, it was set up to monitor it.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Is that not a problem with governance?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: In Appendix 2 of Ms Canavan's report, there is a reference to a Mediaforce email to regional newspapers signed Shane at the bottom of it. Will Mr. Fraser place that in context?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: It was sent by Mediaforce which acted for the company PHD which acted for the Department.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: That is unfortunate choice of name, PHD. Was it acting for the unit?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: At the bottom of the letter it stated:I understand that this is an unusual project. However I really need us to do a good job on this as I believe if we do, there should be more to come on this project and indeed other issues, such as Brexit, in the coming weeks and months. That is interesting. Is Mr. Fraser happy with that sentence?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: What does Mr. Fraser think of it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: That is the world of media and advertising. That is the world that the spin unit engaged to lessen the distinction between news and advertisements. Will Mr. Fraser agree that is what happened?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: That is good because I am not comfortable with it either. This plan was never discussed in the Dáil. Was Mr. Fraser aware of that? The final plan, the changes made, were never discussed in the Dáil.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Yes. We have a plan that has significant implications for the country that was never discussed in the Dáil but which then it is sold by way of spin. In my own city, the Taoiseach was going to the university to spin it. It is interesting that it was not to use the university to question. None of this was used for the newspapers to question the document, to say what was good and bad....

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Earlier Mr. Fraser stated that the Department continued to engage in national priority issues, as directed, such as housing and homelessness. What is the Department's role in housing and homelessness?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Is it just practical assistance?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: What is the "more" part?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: The Department tries to influence policy.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: Okay. In terms of talking about or dealing with homelessness, how does the Department influence the policy there?

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I understand all that. I was merely struck by it.

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: My interest is a city where there is a huge housing crisis-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: -----worse than that of Dublin. On the ground, we receive representations. Only last week, I had a couple with a four week old baby, who are getting respite in an apartment accommodation, being moved out on Sunday back to a hotel. That is the policy of the organisation on the ground. Following a little respite for that mother in an apartment, it is back to a hotel room where she cannot...

Public Accounts Committee: 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 2 - Department of An Taoiseach (3 May 2018)

Catherine Connolly: I will come back to it. I have run out of time. I beg Mr. Fraser's pardon. He is trying to answer it. I am not phrasing it correctly and I will come back to it.