Results 3,281-3,300 of 11,702 for speaker:Colm Burke

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: It is the employer.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for attending. I want to address the issue of the legal costs. In 2021, the legal costs incurred were €542,000. The figure for 2020 was €925,000. Why are the legal costs in 2020 nearly €1 million? Is there a particular reason for that? Where proceedings are taken against the university, is there any scenario where it would look to the courts...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: PwC got security of costs against the State for €29 million in a case that came up here before the committee. The State had to lodge €29 million in court in order for the case to proceed.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: Have there been cases where the university has been successful but it has not recovered costs?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: I ask the witness to come back to me on that point. What about my second question on the high costs in 2020?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: We might get a breakdown-----

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: UL is taking a judicial review with Irish Water. What is up-to-date situation on this?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: I want to come back to the issue that has been discussed quite a lot this morning, which is the purchase of the property. I want to speak about the governance structure in the university. When an executive decision is taken what is the number of people involved? What is the number of people involved in any decision before it goes to governance? What is the process? One of the issues was...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: Who is on the executive committee? What is the make up of it?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: That group takes a decision and then refers it to the overall governing body as such.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: Is Professor Mey satisfied that UL has now set up enough checks and balances to deal with any decision involving the expenditure of moneys? UL's budget for last year was more than €300 million. It is a substantial budget. Many decisions have to be made. Is Professor Mey satisfied there are now sufficient checks and balances to deal with issues involving expenditure by the...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: University of Limerick (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: I want to ask about the pensions policy in the university and the challenges that are there. Is Professor Mey satisfied there are sufficient guarantees in the way that pensions are now structured in the university? My understanding is that more than €1 billion must be provided for pensions in the coming years.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: It is a major problem that we have had to deal with in a short time. In fairness to the Department and the officials, I must say I have been disappointed by the local authorities. I had my own experience of dealing with them in respect of how slow they were to respond. They could have done a great deal more. I accept what Deputy Catherine Murphy is saying about those instances where the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: We will not.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: The problem we have is that we will-----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: The problem we have is that we must continue to maintain-----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: We must fast-track how we can have a proper structure for dealing with this. We must be able to react faster in providing what is needed in this context. I refer to even having spare accommodation available to let at times as well.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: On the cost information attached to the letter, I presume this is not going to be published.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 May 2023)

Colm Burke: I just wish to make sure this is right.