Results 29,801-29,820 of 34,778 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: The Comptroller and Auditor General has not finished outlining his examination but I ask him to make a brief comment. There is an issue of concern in the audited accounts for 2012, so I do not think we should just note the accounts as if everything were in order. It is not good procedure that the HSE cannot quantify the cost of this issue to the taxpayer. Perhaps Mr. McCarthy will explain...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: I am just saying that we should not note the account just as we note every other account that passes through without hearing a brief comment from the Comptroller and Auditor General. I do not seek a debate. I want him to elaborate on the issue that he referred to in his audit report for the benefit of members.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: It would be wrong for us to pass the audit report. The HSE is the largest organisation in the State and has a turnover of €13 billion. The Comptroller and Auditor General has highlighted a matter in his annual report on the HSE and that organisation highlighted it too.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: It is a week since I saw the report but I will speak from recollection. The figure of 0.8% means we are talking about 12,000 to 14,000 medical cards that are out there and being paid for. We will move away from percentages and talk about numbers. I do not know what the capitation fee is but a doctor is paid a standard capitation fee even when the card holder never goes near him or her. It...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: There is an issue in the annual report of the HSE that is mentioned in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report. In simple English, there was an overpayment for medical cards amounting to between €3 million and €5 million. With all of the difficulties in the health service, instead of just noting the account, we should write to the HSE now requesting that it quantify the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: What is the standard capitation fee? I think it is a few hundred euro. How many hundred?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: What is the basic capitation fee?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: We are talking about a few million euro which is paid out each year.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: Each year between €3 million and €5 million is paid out for medical cards that should be ineligible.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: On 4.9, the Comptroller and Auditor General made a reference to it. That is an issue we must take up, medical cards-----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: The HSE has issued its report and the Comptroller and Auditor General's audit certificate is included in it. In the report the Comptroller and Auditor makes specific reference to people's ineligibility for medical cards. The HSE was not able to quantify the cost and the Comptroller and Auditor General was not able to quantify the cost in his audit.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: That is in the future, but we have a set of audited accounts before us with an open-ended question, both in the accounts and in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on them. I have no query about this because he has to finish it. However, I do not think we should let this pass. We should not note the accounts without making a reference to the fact that the Comptroller and Auditor...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: It was a grand promise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: May I speak briefly because I only got in once?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: The Minister had a target of €2 billion for the sale of State assets, then he upped it to €3 billion. Given that Coillte and Aer Lingus are off the list, for now, what is the current expected target? The Minister was able to talk about a figure of €2 billion which went to €3 billion but now that two of the assets are off the list by how much approximately will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: I spoke only twice.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: In fairness to the Opposition members, we had to endure a private Labour Party Parliamentary Party meeting between the Chairman and the Minister for 20 minutes at the beginning of the meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: Yes, we did.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: That is a great way to deal with it: I am to get no answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Disposal of State Assets and Quarterly Review: Discussion with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (19 Jun 2013)

Seán Fleming: The Chairman spoke for 13 of the first 15 minutes.