Results 4,101-4,120 of 4,525 for speaker:Cormac Devlin

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 – Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Chapter 4 – Control over Welfare Payments (12 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: I thank Mr. McKeon for all that. I appreciate that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 – Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Chapter 4 – Control over Welfare Payments (12 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: If they could be sent on, I would appreciate it.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (12 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: 120. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure the survival of important sectors of the economy such as the aviation, travel and taxi industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25946/20]

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: I welcome Mr. Buckley and his colleagues. I thank them for their opening remarks and all of their work on our important national monuments, public parks and indeed State buildings. I thank Mr. Buckley and his colleagues for a recent updatevis-à-vis a parliamentary question which I raised in July about Tully Church and the monuments surrounding it. I thank the witnesses for that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: Obviously €10 million is a lot of money and there is significant concern. I read the Comptroller and Auditor General's report for 2017 and I understand the issues with the international property measurement standards, IPMS, and the difference of measurement which caused the issue. Nonetheless, the Exchequer is out to the tune of €10 million. Hopefully that will be resolved...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: Mr. Bourke might also tell us how many have been sold of those 100. How many have been repurposed or are still under the OPW's control and effectively vacant?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: Does Mr. Bourke have the cost of the ongoing maintenance of the stations still in the control of the OPW? I think a cost was given in my constituency. The cost for the maintenance of the Garda station in Dalkey was €40,796 since it was closed in 2012. Does that include the security contract for that station and similar stations?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: I welcome Mr. Bourke's comments about 12 being in use for serving or retired members of An Garda Síochána. Maybe that could be considered for those remaining in OPW control. I turn to office accommodation. The OPW has a substantial portfolio of accommodation, with total leasing commitments for 2019 of €113 million. What is the total area of the office accommodation...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: What about post Covid?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: I presume the OPW is examining, on an ongoing basis, the State's portfolio. Is there a strategy to manage it post Covid? We do not know the impact. A major bank gave an indication today about its use of office space. There will be a knock-on effect on remote working. Is that actively under consideration by the OPW?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: I have a question on the figures given by Mr. Martin Bourke. Does the OPW have a general ratio between Dublin and outside of Dublin in terms of office space? Is there a breakdown of that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: There is a key question for the post-Covid period. Could the State be left with a considerable excess of office space post-pandemic? Is there a strategy to deal with that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: I wish to return to the Garda element of the portfolio. I note the lease will expire for Garda headquarters on Harcourt Street in 2022.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: Yes, it is Harcourt Square. How long is that lease for? What is the cost per annum?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: I assumed from the report that it was in the ownership of the State. I would hope, given the new lease options post-2022, that would be something we could explore. It is a colossal amount of money. I agree that it is a strategic building and it is important in size, but surely the State could explore that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: Mr. Bourke might come back to me on that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: Finally, I will turn to flood alleviation. The OPW officials have given a good deal of information in the opening remarks. I understand the expenditure prior to 2015 was €412 million. Am I correct in saying that from 2015 to 2019 the expenditure was €268 million? What was the reason for the difference? I would have thought expenditure was ramping up at that point.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: It is a cumulative figure. Is that right?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: That makes more sense. A study of 300 communities has been taking place across Ireland and 80% of the studies have been completed. What is the status of the remaining 20%? A total of 11 major flood relief schemes have commenced and seven more are due to commence shortly. Can the OPW give an indication of when those seven will be commenced? What stage are they at? If the officials do not...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6 - Expenditure under a Maintenance Contract
2019 Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (11 Nov 2020)

Cormac Devlin: My thanks to the officials.