Results 43,961-43,980 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: On the question of who gave the commitment the station would remain open until the new station was constructed, was that a commitment on the part of the Department of Justice and Equality?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: Thank you.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank the witnesses for attending. We are in an odd place really because the witnesses are being asked questions which relate to policy matters and they are being held to account for policy decisions made by people who are no longer around. The policy, in and of itself, is quite perverse whereby we overheated the property market, lived off the taxes from that but then sat in a room and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: The issue is obviously the content of the contract. Can the witnesses give us an insight into the process of formulating that contract and how we ended up with a contract that had no 'Plan B' or get-out clause if vacant possession could not be secured? I detect from some of Ms McGrath's earlier comments that the OPW had a degree of reservation about engaging in a project where there was not...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I agree with all comments. It is important to note this discussion arose based on comments made in the Dáil by a Minister regarding the administration of the charitable lottery fund and public concern over the salary level of a CEO, which still has not been disclosed. We have now received, albeit late last night, a copy of the internal audit report and, as Deputy McDonald stated, the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I want to make a point on providing the committee with information. An internal audit report which is before us made very serious recommendations. There is an assertion from the Department of Justice and Equality that almost two years later these recommendations have not been responded to by the Rehab Group and I seek clarity from Rehab on this. I wish to make an associated point with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (30 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: 49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will open a new Steiner Waldorf national school in Galway; if he will fully recognise the Raheen Wood and Mol an Óige national schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4633/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (28 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: 117. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the issue of youth unemployment falls within the remit of a Cabinet sub-committee; the Departments and Ministries under which that responsibility for addressing youth unemployment falls; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2195/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (28 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: 132. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she has submitted her Department's plan for the implementation of the youth guarantee in Ireland; the actions in this plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2194/14]

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: If a figure is available in the public domain of the number of complaints made or if it has been given to the Minister, I am not sure why the Commissioner cannot share it with the committee.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: It is in the annual report.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I thought the Commissioner said it was an annual report.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: Which is not published?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I thank the Commissioner for clarifying his view. Can he clarify - he has discussed some of these matters to some degree already - the issue of a garda at the appropriate rank cancelling a fixed charge penalty notice from outside of their district? Why would that happen? It is a genuine question.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: That is good to hear. On the issue of the blanks - both reports refer to this and it is something we have seen in the material that we have - was this just a case of sloppiness, for want of a better word? I know the Commissioner has given some examples already as to why this might have happened in the sense of people rushing about their business - gardaí are busy - and just not...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I am talking about some of the information we have received which has now being discussed where when we look at the file there is a box which is meant to contain the reason and there is no reason given in the box.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I have a final question and comment on which I would like to get the Commissioner's view. I accept the 95% or thereabouts figure because we have that roughly in the Comptroller and Auditor General 's report and in the assistant commissioner, Mr. O'Mahoney's report. We are homing in on the 2.7%.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: That is what I am talking about. We are acknowledging that 95% plus is beyond question but it is the 2.57%. When I look at some of the information we have been sent and some of the information that has appeared in both reports, it makes sense that gardaí have to apply discretion, and I accept the Commissioner's comments on that. It makes sense that somebody could be sick once and in a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I take that point but I am specifically talking about the multiple occasions. Let us take the Commissioner's example of the person with the bees. I do not mean to trivialise it but that person was speeding, they were breaking the law. They might have had to rush home but, ultimately, the life of a person is obviously more important than the life of the livestock or of the bees. If the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Management of Fixed Charge Notice System (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: The Commissioner is working on the systems too.