Results 43,981-44,000 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

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 and his team for being here. Many of the points have been covered. I have a few brief questions. In regard to the issue of this committee meeting with the whistleblower and the conversation the Commissioner had with the Chairman earlier in the meeting, I understand that the Commissioner would welcome receiving a copy of the redacted material which we have in our...

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 wonder what the Commissioner then intends to do. In an effort to assist us with our look at this matter, is he going to look at the box and then endeavour to respond to us on the contents of the box, or what is his intention? What is the Commissioner hoping to garner from looking at 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: The Commissioner, and, presumably, particularly assistant commissioner O'Mahoney, who has done all this work on the Garda's report, will probably be able to garner relatively quickly whether he is looking at material similar to what he already looked at.

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

Simon Harris: Would that be a fair assumption?

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

Simon Harris: Mr. Callinan is the Commissioner. He will give the job to whom he likes. The Commissioner should be able to garner fairly quickly whether he is looking at new material or, as I say, material the assistant commissioner has already looked at.

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 wonder should we garner from the Commissioner's comments regarding his heading up a disciplined force and his right to take legal advice that he intends to consider preventing us meeting with the whistleblower next week.

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

Simon Harris: Please.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: 75. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding plans for a new school building (details supplied); the timeline for commencement and completion of this building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3252/14]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Agencies (21 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: 168. To ask the Taoiseach the number of quangos, State agencies or organisations under the remit of his Department that have been merged, reformed or abolished since 2011; the details of each of these measures in tabular form; the cost saving or service delivery improvement which has resulted; how many more he expects to be merged, reformed or abolished and the timeline for same; if he will...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: State Papers Issues (21 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: 387. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if consideration will be given to reducing the 30-year rule for the release of State papers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2272/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (21 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: 496. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when he expects a Charity Regulator to be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2273/14]

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: No, I am happy with that arrangement. I hope further dialogue is not required and that St. Vincent's will reach the compliance stage and members wish it well. However, if further dialogue is required, I understand Professor Whelan would be happy to come back before the committee and provide members with further information, if needed.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: Does Mr. Jermyn believe the hospital is fully in compliance with the consultants' contract?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I have many more questions, but I will allow some other members of the committee to come in at this point. I will come back in if that is okay.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: Excuse me, can Mr. Jermyn tell us where he is reading that from?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: I actually disagree, not based on my own feelings on the issue but based on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the comments of Mr. Cathal Magee and the comments of the former Comptroller and Auditor General at a meeting of this committee at which I was present. The conclusion of the report from the Comptroller and Auditor General is that St. Vincent's Healthcare Group pledged...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: Mr. Harrington is saying that the Department and the HSE did not do their job in protecting the taxpayer.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: Did the hospital board have any duty or responsibility in terms of taxpayers' assets?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: The taxpayer was providing a list of investments, with which I will not bore Mr. Harrington. We have a list of the investments made by the taxpayer between 2000 and 2004 on developments at St. Vincent's University Hospital totalling €130 million. Did Mr. Harrington not think someone on the board should have asked about the public interest?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Simon Harris: The point I am making is that there was an amalgamation of a public hospital and a private hospital under one board and the amalgamation of the roles of the CEO of the private and public hospital. At the board meetings where the public hospital was represented by virtue of the presence of the public hospital CEO, for whom the State is paying, nobody was asking about the public hospital and...