Results 2,921-2,940 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Expenditure Response to Covid-19 Crisis: Statements (16 Sep 2020)

Ossian Smyth: As outlined by the Minister, the Government has taken significant action to support our key public services, particularly the health service, and to provide funding for workers and businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The estimated cost of these measures is approximately €16 billion. This leaves overall gross voted expenditure for the year at more than €86 billion....

Taxi Industry: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: "notes: — that 19,638 Small Public Service Vehicles (SPSV) are registered with the National Transport Authority (NTA) in 2020; — the 3,059 taxis and hackneys which are wheelchair accessible, with many people relying on these daily; — the very...

Ministers and Ministers of State (Successors) Bill: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Sep 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I have heard the contributions of the Deputies and I thank them, in particular Deputy Nash for outlining his personal experience as a Minister of State who did not retain his seat and his feeling that the last place he wanted to be was back in the Dáil. I also thank Deputy Gannon for his contribution. Something that struck me was the reference by Deputy Tóibín to the lack...

Ministers and Ministers of State (Successors) Bill: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Sep 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I commend the Deputy on his energy and diligence in bringing forward this Bill but it is not a proposal the Government can support. The Government is established, appointed and regulated in accordance with the Constitution rather than statute. This is confirmed in Article 28.1, which states that Ministers are "appointed by the President in accordance with the provisions of this...

Revised Estimates for Public Services 2020 (23 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Deputy Nash asked about any new financial controls or reforms that may have been put in place. He referred to the national children's hospital. He is absolutely right to ask that question. There was a gross overspend in respect of the national children's hospital. We have a substantial number of large capital projects planned, by which I mean those valued at more than €100 million,...

Revised Estimates for Public Services 2020 (23 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: As Minister of State with responsibility for public procurement and eGovernment, I am very pleased to introduce the 2020 Estimates for the Votes for the Office of Government Procurement and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, OGCIO. The Vote for the OGCIO, Vote 43, is new and has only been established this year. As Minister of State with responsibility for eGovernment, I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputy Grealish. Strategic public procurement can play a key role in responding to societal, environmental and economic challenges. Therefore, the inclusion of strategic public policy considerations in procurement processes is a key feature of the programme for Government. The Office of Government Procurement, OGP, has been actively engaged in putting in place the necessary...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I take the Deputy's concerns on board. I met the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, at the start of my tenure and discussed this issue with him. He impressed on me the importance of the SME advisory group and that there was a perception that it was difficult for SMEs to get contracts despite the fact that 54% of the contract value awarded by the OGP went to SMEs. We must keep engaging...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I have an open mind. I am new to this position and am willing to review with the OGP the €25,000 threshold and any other existing condition to ensure that SMEs have a fair opportunity to win contracts. I want to engage in communication, education and anything that we need to do in order to train people up, advise them on why they are not winning contracts, and ensure that the process...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputy Farrell for her question. I will give her the written answer and then she can ask questions to follow up. As Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform I have responsibility for the development of policy to ensure adequate expenditure oversight on capital projects and for public procurement. The public spending code is the set of rules, procedures...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: It is much more than a review and report, which would be inadequate. The Deputy is right to refer to the PwC report from last year. Its analysis was that the national children's hospital involved a substantial overspend and it pinpointed an underestimation of cost. It made two recommendations. One was that we need to strengthen the rules of the public spending code. Further, it stated...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (21 Jul 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I confirm that the recommendations of the PwC report will be implemented. The shortfalls that were found will be addressed. With regard to who is responsible, the sponsoring authority that wanted to propose this project is the Department of Health. The body that sanctioned it, the approving authority, was the Government. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform provides the public...

Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (30 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I would like to sincerely welcome Deputy Donnelly to his new role as Minister for Health. In opposition, he was both insightful and constructive. I hope and expect that the Minister will bring that insight and expertise to the continuing reform of our health services. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the former Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, for his service. The...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I wish to start by asking about the cost per test. There is a marginal cost and there is also a cost for fixed capital, recruitment and everything else. In general, labs have an idea of how much each test costs. In simple terms, could Dr. Henry give me a number for that?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I would like to ask about the PCR equipment that was acquired, presuming that large additional quantities of such equipment was acquired and also that staff were deployed in respect of it. Is that equipment adaptable for use in respect of other diseases that may come along? Are they generic machines, as it were, that can be used with different types of reagent if another pandemic comes...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: What is needed to get staff skilled up to use the PCR machines? What kind of staff do we need for that? Do they need to be at PhD level or could one retrain clerical staff if needed?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I want to ask about testing at airports. One of my relatives who is an Irish citizen arrived in Hong Kong airport recently and was tested on the spot and kept in the airport for five hours until the results came back. There was a five-hour turnaround time for the test. The person was then confined to their home with a tracking device for a period afterwards. Are we going to test people...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: So it is under consideration. I just want to point out that it is actually happening in other countries. There is an international precedent for that, even if we do not go that far. In terms of antibody tests and serological tests, the science is advancing all the time, is there any understanding yet as to whether there is any point to being tested. I see that people can go to a number...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Testing and Tracing (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the witnesses for answering my questions. Thank you, Chairman.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Needs Education: Impact of Covid-19 (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: When the schools were closed in March, it was a blanket closure order. Every single school in the country had to shut, regardless of the type of school it was. That was the simplest thing to do. Obviously some schools are different, such as special needs schools. I am aware of children being taught in groups of two or through one to one tutoring. Clearly, the risk is different with...