Results 2,321-2,340 of 5,098 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank Mr. Brady for that. I just want to touch on those points, and then I will get the views of Chambers Ireland on the matter. I am being told our scheme is far too cumbersome and just does not end up delivering value for money. The point on having a separate tax credit for SMEs is interesting. I have been thinking about whether there is scope for having an independent agency to...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Do we have any projections for potential employment, including in the regions and not just our cities and other urban spaces, if we really assisted small companies in investing in research and development so they could take off in many senses? I realise it could be difficult to make projections.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I have a different question on what Mr. Brady said about making things simplistic in the context of the wage support schemes and things like that. One of the issues raised with me a bit has concerned the temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, and people finding it difficult. People have come to me - butchers in particular, but this could be something that is across the board...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I do not need exact examples of specific businesses but is this something that has been raised with the witnesses in the context of the points I have made? I ask because sometimes it is hard to get businesses to come forward in this regard.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Okay. To finish the point, regarding what Mr. Brady said about people paying their bills through their rent, I did not know about this issue because this was not something raised with me. The point I heard about was that the electricity provider had left the Irish market.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Great. I thank the witnesses so much.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I assume we will discuss the Votes in sequence.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as teacht os comhair an choiste den chéad uair mar Aire sa Roinn seo. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit arís as teacht as comhair an choiste. I welcome the Minister in his first time coming before this committee as Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. I am going to put questions on a...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank the Minister. It is fine if he incorporates the information into a reply to a different question. Two of the Department's primary functions are to manage public expenditure and to reform the Civil Service and the wider public service for the better. We are all aware of the scandals regarding the nursing homes. Some justified it on the basis of keeping costs down for the State, but...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: In the context of managing public expenditure versus reform for the better, which is the context in which the Department was set up, our views on that particular strategy might differ. Are there strategies in place which may help to manage costs but breach, for the want of a more correct term, the reform function in terms of people's rights? How does the Minister manage to balance the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: To follow up righting the wrongs of the past, this committee have been heavily involved in the updating of the protected disclosures legislation. It appears from the funding allocation that the protected disclosures office has been established. Will the Minister confirm that it is now up and running and that it is now actively seeking protected disclosures at this point?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: It is up and running and those people who would like to make a protected disclosure can do so at that office at this point. Is that correct?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: No problem. The point is that it is up and running now and if somebody wanted to make a protected disclosure, he or she could do so at this point?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: The Minister may be aware that I have introduced my own Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2021. To be fair to the then Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, he took on board many of the recommendations from this committee and recommendations that I put forward as well. However, I was always very clear with the Minister that I still had some serious concerns regarding some failings in the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: We heard at first hand from the people who were affected by making protected disclosures. I feel strongly that it should have been retrospective. That not being the case has had a severe impact on these people My final question under Vote 11 is around the new name of the Department and the reference to NDP delivery. Anything that hopes to improve the delivery is very welcome. I am...