Results 44,601-44,620 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (10 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: I bring to the attention of the committee a serious issue on which I have been endeavouring to obtain an answer from the HSE for the entire summer. An e-mail I sent to the chief financial officer of the HSE at 10.32 p.m. on 21 August remains unanswered. Its subject was the erroneous decision to apply the terms of the Haddington Road agreement to Sunbeam House Services, a disability service...

Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: I welcome the opportunity to add my voice in support of the introduction of the Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill 2013. The Bill is yet another piece in the agenda to reform our justice system that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter is pursuing and, with that reform agenda in mind, I take the opportunity to congratulate the Minister on his...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: This applies across the sector.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: That is fair. These organisations and their staff understand they are bound by the agreement. However, it seems that through incompetence, inept oversight or something worse, services for the most vulnerable people in my constituency and many others are being cut under the agreement but that in no way shape or form tallies with the agreement. That is where the credibility of an agreement...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: An bord snip nua suggested law clerks were no longer needed. Does Mr. Watt think there is still scope to explore the board's report for suggestions such as that rather than creating more posts?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: Mr. Watt approved ten more of them.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: I am glad to hear it. The Department is due to bring a property implementation plan to Cabinet. Where is that at? What scope is there for savings? This relates to merging State offices and better use of non-city centre offices and so on.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: I will conclude with a question on the sale of State assets. What is the timeline for the sales of Bord Gáis Energy and the national lottery licence?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: I thank Mr. Watt and his team for attending and the comprehensive overview he gave of his Department's work. By any fair, objective measure, his Department is doing a good job. We can see in yesterday's Exchequer figures, in the context of the spending profile and the Ombudsman legislation, a solid effort to keep spending under control and reform access to information, which should be...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: Has the Department of Health or the HSE informed Mr. Watt or his Department that they will not achieve €150 million in savings this year? I read on 19 September in The Irish Times that they had.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: As of today, is it still Mr. Watt's expectation that under the Haddington Road agreement, the HSE will achieve a figure of €150 million in savings?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Simon Harris: A number of service providers for people with intellectual disabilities come within the remit of the agreement and they do not have a difficulty with this. However, the media have reported in recent weeks on a scenario where the HSE, in a desperate effort to deliver the €150 million in savings, is, wrongly or erroneously, applying the agreement to these disability organisations. I...

Other Questions: Medical Card Numbers (26 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: On the question of medical cards being reviewed and potentially withdrawn, I wish to draw to the Minister of State's attention to an issue that some farmers are experiencing. They have an income level whereby they are not eligible for tax, yet the HSE demands that they produce audited accounts. It is demanding a higher burden of proof than Revenue does. Will the Minister of State...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Status (24 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: 381. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if funding which has been allocated by his Department for works to connect an area to the public sewerage network (details supplied) in County Wicklow, will remain available if the local authority does not manage to complete the works by the end of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39185/13]

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services Provision (19 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: I thank the Minister for his helpful reply, which gives us clarity about the issue that was not available until the provision of these figures. I take his point about geography and qualifications. It is important that we have people in the correct places with the appropriate skill set. We need to examine prevention and the promotion of positive mental health. While it is not the...

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services Provision (19 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: I welcome the opportunity to join Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan in seeking clarity on the issue of mental health funding and an update from the Minister for Health on the delivery of community-based mental health services. I recognise the Minister's commitment and thank him for being in the House to deal with this most serious issue. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan has already outlined how serious...

Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: Deputy Martin should debate that one.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: 370. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his response to a recent study showing that a county (details supplied) has the highest number of children per classroom in the country; the actions he will take to rectify this matter and reduce class sizes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38073/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: 351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the provision of additional classroom facilities at a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38054/13]