Results 29,721-29,740 of 33,581 for speaker:Catherine Connolly

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: It is important so.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Approximately four out of 12. It handles quite a substantial amount of money. What is the reserve that it holds now?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Okay. I went to college. I am here to just ask questions and elicit information. I would think that college is an environment that should ask questions. I have a difficulty when I hear it is a private organisation. It is a charitable organisation.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Okay. Therefore, I presume Dr. Browne has absolutely no difficult in sharing maximum information about that.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: None, great.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I have them in front of me. Has Dr. Browne any difficulty with the Comptroller and Auditor General looking at those every year?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: That is not my question. My question was has Dr. Browne any difficulty or would the foundation have? Dr. Browne is on it.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I will give Dr. Browne ample time. I do not wish to be unfair. I am asking two questions. Does Dr. Browne, as a member of the foundation and president of NUIG, have any problem with the Comptroller and Auditor General looking at the foundation accounts? My second question is, would the foundation have a problem?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Absolutely.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: What does that mean?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Sorry, I do not understand what that means. What does Dr. Browne mean, "for a third party"?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I will interrupt the president there, if he does not mind, because I have a limited time to ask questions. I know the president's opinion because he gave a briefing document. He reiterated it today. Now I am asking the president questions. That is all I am doing here, really. In his response, Dr. Browne states in his opinion it is important that it is independent.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I am not asking for it not to be independent. I am trying to elicit information on the management of it, the interplay with the university and whether Dr. Browne would have any objection, first, as president, that the Comptroller and Auditor General would look at the accounts and, separately, as a director of the foundation.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: What is the difficulty?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: What would be negative about an office with the standard and calibre of the staff in the Comptroller and Auditor General's office doing that?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: I am not commenting on the Comptroller and Auditor General. I am asking Dr. Browne what would be the downside for the foundation of its accounts being looked at by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Absolutely, I heard that. But what would be the difficulty? How would the independence of the foundation be damaged or affected?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Could Dr. Browne give any reasons?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: Would public scrutiny be a bad thing?

Public Accounts Committee: National University of Ireland Galway: Financial Statement 2013-2014 (6 Apr 2017)

Catherine Connolly: In relation to the reserves, would Ms Dooley be up to date about what money is there in the foundation as we speak?