Results 2,321-2,340 of 10,569 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank the Cathaoirleach, and I am pleased to before the committee again to present the 2023 Revised Estimates for the OPW. The gross allocation for 2023 is just shy of €617 million, which comprises €126 million for flood risk management and €491 million to be invested in estate management. The structure of the OPW Vote remains unchanged. However, in line with the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Doherty for his question. He is right; I was in Donegal shortly after the meeting last year. I met with the CEO and director of services. I was in a number of locations across the county, not only seeing the projects that have yet to be commenced within the CFRAM programme, but those that are well under way. It is worth pointing out that the Office of Public Works already...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: That decision has already been made. By including it in CFRAM, we, the Government and everybody accepts the towns and cities that need to be protected, including Limerick, Cork, Galway and Enniscorthy. They are all over the country. We have to operate on the basis of presenting an application, which, in this case, is led by a local authority, to a planning authority, whether that is An...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: Yes, it would.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I asked the county council if it was satisfied with the level of resources it had from OPW support when I was there last year and it made it clear that it was. It was leading most of the CFRAM delivery in County Donegal, with the exception of one, which I think is in Burnfoot, which we are leading ourselves. We know that Donegal is a highly vulnerable county. So are Galway, Mayo and Kerry....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: As I said before, I think in advance of that, once Donegal County Council has completed its business case, the OPW will not be found wanting. We have not been found wanting with respect to any application that has come from the council, including about the appointment of staff. All the staffing levels will be required to collect the preliminary data in advance of any scheme being designed....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: Hold on a second. I have correspondence.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: If the Deputy is going to ask me a question, let me answer it. We have engaged with Donegal County Council and we want to support it. It has to produce a business case to us that will allow us to approve the appointment of another engineer who will be able to specifically work on this scheme. When that is done, the OPW will not be found wanting. With regard to the presentation where...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I did not say that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I did not say that. Check the blacks.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: At the risk of repeating myself-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I can circumvent and be helpful.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am trying to be helpful.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: Can Deputy Doherty produce something for me that says Donegal County Council is saying the OPW is holding this up?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: "No" is the answer to the question.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I do not think that is the case. A suggestion is being made here that the OPW-----

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: I think it is my fifth time saying that the OPW is totally committed to Donegal town. Can I be any clearer? When Donegal County Council presents a business case to us with regard to additional resources, which will be required to collate the preliminary data in advance of any scheme being proffered, the OPW will support that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (22 Feb 2023)

Patrick O'Donovan: As soon as possible. As soon as we get a response from Donegal County Council, we will expedite it. It will be up to the council to make sure that it can do what it needs to with the resources that we attach to it. I cannot make it simpler than this. I know the local community will be listening to this. We want this scheme to be built, as we do in all other parts of the county, where we...