Results 44,781-44,800 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: That is a fair point. We referenced another issue with agency staff in our March report on the HSE, namely, the number of retired and former HSE employees who are back working in the health service as agency staff. We have pursued this issue with a number of Departments. For example, the Department of Education and Skills can tell us that there is only this or that percentage of such...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: Is the HSE considering being able to? It was a recommendation of our report. It seems logical. Everyone has a PPS number. Many medical graduates, for example, nurses, are leaving college and trying to get employment. If staff have taken incentivised leave from the public service and are returning as agency staff, they are receiving public sector pensions and public sector wages...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: May I make a suggestion? The witnesses may not be in a position to answer today. A matter was mentioned in our report but has not been included in their briefing note on the recommendations arising from that report. We recommended that, when signing a contract with agencies, the HSE ask them to include people's PPS numbers, thus enabling the HSE to carry out its policy. This is an...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee. To return to one of the first questions asked, to be sure I am absolutely clear, as of today or as close to today as possible, the current budgetary position of the HSE is that it is approximately €18 million below budget overall.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: That seems to be a very welcome turnaround from what we saw in January when the HSE was approximately €12 million over budget. I ask Mr. O'Brien to reassure me that the €25 million capital underspend is not just lagging behind and that we will not see an advancement. Is it a timing issue which is presenting the figures in a better light?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: The €25 million will be spent.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: Therefore, the HSE is approximately €7 million in debt.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: To return to an issue which shook my faith and that of many Oireachtas Members and the public in the health Estimates process last year, the Oireachtas voted through a ring-fenced €35 million for mental health services which was effectively pinched and allocated to other areas of the health service. Will Mr. O'Brien explain how this occurred? How can the Oireachtas specifically pass...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: It was used in mental health services.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: The witnesses have seen the same media reports as I have, I am sure. There is huge scepticism about the veracity of this statement, while not disputing it. Will Mr. O'Brien expand on what the €35 million ring-fenced for mental health services was used last year?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: Would it be helpful to circulate the list?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: It might save us all trying to transcribe them.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (24 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: 100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to put in place special needs educational units within existing mainstream second level schools acknowledging that new second level schools are being built with such facilities but recognising that existing second level schools are in the main lacking in such facilities and leading to large numbers of students with special needs...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised) (23 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: How long does it take the run down the cost of a referendum commission?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised) (23 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: There has been talk in the past of establishing a referendum commission on a permanent basis. Has consideration been given to that?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised) (23 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: It is not the Minister's view?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - Shared Services (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised) (23 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: During the short time I have been a Deputy, I have become used to hearing the Opposition Members be critical with regard to the lack of time they are given to consider matters and to hold Ministers to account. They also complain about the power of the Executive. The very function of this meeting is to provide all Deputies with an opportunity to hold the Minister for Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (23 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: 364. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an application for guardian's payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; when a determination is expected to be made on this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18571/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (23 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: 397. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there are any plans in place whereby individuals who are due to retire in 2014 can avail of some social welfare payment to bridge the gap between their retirement date and their 66th birthday now that the option of applying for the transition pension is no longer open to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19098/13]

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (18 Apr 2013)

Simon Harris: We will learn very little if we look in isolation at the situation that was reported about the Chairman in a newspaper. People can decide whether the sum of money was large and they can arrive at their own conclusions. It would be helpful if details of the cost of refurbishing and renovating the offices of Ministers and Ministers of State around the same period of time were made available...