Results 21-40 of 5,533 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: There should be an opportunity for Deputy Timmins to come back in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I ask the Deputy and the Minister of State to be brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Try to be very brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Perfect timing. Go raibh maith agaibh. Leanfaimid ar aghaidh go dtí an Seanadóir Murphy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Time is not the issue, but as there is a vótáil, I will need to suspend unless the Senator can be extremely brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: We need to suspend for the vótáil. Is the Minister of State able to stay?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: The issue is that we are approximately four minutes into this, so I think we need to suspend to go and vote. We will come back.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I understand the Minister has to leave in a few minutes. He can call time when he needs to go. I have a few questions. On the EU Commission's review of our protected disclosure regime, is it correct that is due for October? Will the Minister confirm how the concerns of the whistleblowers in recent cases such as the Grace case and CHI will be addressed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: It is now 2026.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: The committee in this area in the previous term did a huge amount of work on the issue of protected disclosures. How are the concerns of whistleblowers in recent cases going to be addressed in this review?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I understand that. To be honest, this is something I am quite passionate about. I am concerned that we have seen a number of cases where whistleblowers have expressed concerns about their treatment and how the system works. Will the Minister be making a submission in relation to that? I would suggest that he does-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I have one more question in relation to this. As things currently stand, if a protected disclosure is made to the Minister by a civil or public servant, the Minister can pass that complaint on to the Secretary General. However, the complaint could relate to the Secretary General addressing an issue but due to the Carltona principle, the Secretary General could respond to the complainant in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Is that okay, Senator Higgins?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I have a few questions myself. A review of the public procurement system is under way at the moment. The Minister of State will also be aware of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council's recent report which was somewhat critical of the Government for what it described as "poor budgeting". The State spends around €19 billion per year contracting for goods and services but my concern is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I am aware we are under time constraints so we can delve into that a bit more tomorrow because I do have a number of concerns. I have one more question which the Minister of State may not be able to answer right now and if that is the case, that is fine. I understand that a circular will be sent out to all Government agencies and Departments warning about overspending and the need to keep...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: I understand we have three minutes left. I cut short the response from Senator Higgins, so she can make a brief contribution now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Okay, Senator Higgins, I can give you 30 seconds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Go raibh maith agaibh go léir. That concludes the committee's business in public session for today. The meeting now stands adjourned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Will the Minister put in a submission for that review?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (25 Jun 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: Go raibh maith agat. It is an issue of huge concern. I understand that the Minister must leave at this point. We will move on to the Minister of State now. I invite her to finish her point in response to Senator Higgins although I understand that the Minister of State is also under time pressure.