Results 2,421-2,440 of 11,183 for speaker:Colm Burke
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Okay. Let us go on.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: How many more invoices went through like this where there were consultancy fees marked down?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Have you looked at other accounts where the description "consultancy fees" was used and those invoices went through the system without anyone raising questions?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Is it not time to do such a detailed analysis if this is the-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Every other business in this country has its invoices robustly checked. I refer to any organisation. In a large organisation that is also a public service broadcaster, there is even more of an onus to cross-check everything that comes in.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Yes. It is a slush fund. If we look at the definition of "slush fund", and I got this from Black's Law Dictionary, it is "A reserve of money held secretly by a company that [had] no accountability for its use". This is exactly what we are talking about. This is a slush fund, so let us stop talking about it being a barter account.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: There was very little accountability about the money going into it.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: You are in charge of the internal controls system. This is money going from RTÉ to a barter account where you do not even know what the money is for. Am I correct?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: You are the financial director. You have the opportunity to raise queries. You did not raise a query about this invoice. Have you raised queries concerning other invoices that were coming in during the last two to three years?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Is that not more reason for asking the question, if you have not?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: When you became aware of the query raised by the auditors, and they obviously were concerned, you still do not appear to have had the same concern, even after the explanation from the then director general.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Did Deloitte raise queries in respect of any other item in the accounts at the time?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Yes.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: This was the only issue?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Was there not, therefore, an obligation on you to make sure the issue the company had raised was fully investigated?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: Turning to the barter account, we are talking about €115,380 being paid annually. This is an extra €40,380. Is this technically what we are talking about as a handling fee for the €75,000 or can we get a better explanation than what is being furnished to us?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: In other words, let us imagine a situation where I am in a legal practice and someone comes to me with a cheque for €75,000. That person says they do not want to send it on, asks me if I will put it through my account and says I will be given €40,380 for doing that.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: It is €40,380 for handling a cheque for €75,000.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: In this case, it was €75,000 that was forwarded to the agent for Ryan Tubridy and there was a charge of €40,380.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation and Expenditure of Public Moneys by RTÉ: Discussion (29 Jun 2023)
Colm Burke: -----35%.