Results 3,481-3,500 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: How many of the staff who have taken up positions are retired local authority employees who took a lump sum?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I am asking because people must apply for an early retirement package from local authorities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: If the local authority deems the person vital the request is refused. If the person was vital to Irish Water would it not be the same? At present we are in a transition phase. If somebody took a package from a local authority and then transferred would it be good management or communication between the local authority and Irish Water?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Nobody has taken it up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: As far as Mr. Tierney knows.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: On a point of clarity, is Mr. Tierney suggesting that the IBM lots 1, 2 and 3 of €44.8 million were described, when this went to the Department, as a capital commitment? What was the description of how that money was being used?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The point I am making is that while we describe these as consultancy fees, further on in the document the witnesses describe them as capital commitments. I am trying to find out exactly who knew what, because I believe it is very important to this committee, and in regard to how it is reported to the Dáil, exactly who knows what information. That is what I am trying to find out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Therefore, the Department did know that up to March 2013-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Therefore, the Deputies who asked those parliamentary questions could have been answered by the Department at that stage. The projected set-up cost for Irish Water was around €180 million. At the moment, is Mr. Tierney projecting an overrun?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: No, but it would have been free to issue the information to Deputies. The responsibility of Deputies is to represent the people without fear or favour, and that is why I have tried to ascertain what everybody knew. To go back to the project cost, at the moment does it look as though Irish Water will come in under or over €180 million?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: What is Mr. Tierney projecting at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: If the regulator does not approve the expenditure, who picks up the bill?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Mr. Tierney mentioned earlier there are currently 299 staff working for Irish Water.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department would have been aware that Irish Water would have had to tender for that level of expertise and that would have been within the budget it gave the Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The letter in December 2012 referred to a capital commitment totalling €80 million with termination rights in contracts. A copy went to the Department and NewERA. Irish Water was given the go-ahead for the capital commitments totalling €80 million at this stage. What exactly was included in the €80 million it requested?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Both NewERA and the Department in 2012 would have been aware of the lots - IBM, Ernst & Young etc. That approval was in place.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: In lots 1 to 3.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: In lots 1 to 8.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: At what level was Irish Water dealing with the Department and NewERA? Obviously information went to the Department and NewERA. Certainly one of the Ministers stated that the first time he heard about the lots of expenditure was on radio when Mr. Tierney answered a question on Seán O'Rourke's programme on RTE. The information was with the Department in December 2012.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Expenditure Issues: Irish Water - Uisce Éireann (14 Jan 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: This was 28 March 2013. It was still after the time the three Deputies had asked the questions of the Department. There was a response recently. The first time we heard about this was on the radio. It is frustrating for Deputies of all parties to ask a parliamentary question and find that the information was with the Department for that duration. The first we heard about it was on the...