Results 3,741-3,760 of 7,961 for speaker:Imelda Munster

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (6 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: 482. To ask the Minister for Health the plans that are in place for a service (details supplied) in County Louth; the engagement there has been between stakeholders and families of service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29622/21]

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: Dr. Wall stated that no funding had been provided to University of Limerick in respect of the project or the purchase of the site. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: An institution under the HEA's remit would have to submit its intentions to the HEA. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: The HEA is providing funding and the institution could change its plans on a whim, as it appears to have done. The HEA did not realise this was happening until media reports exposed it. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: Dr. Wall stated earlier that the HEA takes oversight of governance very seriously. Where was the oversight there?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: The university indicated everything was grand and the HEA took it at its word. I am wondering about the due diligence in regard to the level of oversight of governance. The HEA was happy enough and did not realise what had happened until the media exposed it. Did the university play the HEA for fools?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: The HEA did not know about it until media reports emerged. Can Dr. Wall recall exactly when that was?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: Can any of the witnesses recall roughly how long ago it was when they discovered through media reports what had happened?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: Dr. Wall stated that the HEA was not happy about it and that it was looking to meet the university. Did Dr. Wall state earlier that he is going to meet it next Monday?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: When was the meeting for next Monday arranged?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: Before the HEA was going to appear before this committee.

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: My point is that the HEA has known about it for some time. The meeting was this week arranged for next Monday, yet it has been plastered all over the papers and the representatives of the university appeared before the committee a short while ago. The HEA was in no real hurry to look into the matter, question the university and find out exactly what had happened. It is fair to say there...

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: How seriously can we take Dr. Wall in regard to his claim to take oversight of governance seriously?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: The Committee of Public Accounts is one thing. One would imagine the HEA would have had all its ducks in a row before its representatives appeared before the committee. One would have imagined that the HEA would have carried out an investigation into the university in order that it would be able to come to us and tell us it had exercised due diligence, met the board, discovered something...

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: That is crazy-----

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: We are talking about the possibility of serious mismanagement of funds, and the HEA has done nothing about it to date.

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: I think the public and possibly even the media will find it astounding that the HEA has done zippo on this to date, given the seriousness of it.

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: The HEA has come here with one hand as long as the other, so to speak. It has not set up a meeting or carried out an investigation. It is meeting its representatives next Monday but there is no hurry. It seems to be a case of "What is the hurry here?", which raises serious questions.

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: In fairness, Dr. Wall has said nothing to convince us otherwise. Does he have any confidence in the leadership of the university to act in good faith and in the interests of students, the community and the Exchequer?

Public Accounts Committee: Higher Education Authority: Financial Statements 2019 (1 Jul 2021)

Imelda Munster: Dr. Wall has had ample time to meet them, if that was a cut.