Results 5,221-5,240 of 7,010 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Suicide Prevention (7 Sep 2018)

James Browne: 1067. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the new bridge under construction in New Ross will include suicide prevention apparatus such as suicide barriers and netting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36477/18]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test Waiting Lists (7 Sep 2018)

James Browne: 1125. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the waiting times for a driver test at Gorey and Wexford test centres; the national average waiting time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36544/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: I thank the Chair and welcome the witnesses. It is important to start by setting out who we are talking about, especially for the public when they hear the term subcontractors. We are talking about family businesses such as painters, security firms, scaffolders or cleaners. These are people who have done nothing wrong. They are ordinary local people. They are the kind of people who get...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: Is there any timeline as to when the NDFA would expect a response?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: Will these be given to the subcontractors?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: On the issue of certification, we have received more information but we are none the wiser as to the legal basis upon which the State can accept certification by contractors who did not carry out the work, in particular in respect of mixed products like concrete, steel and so on. Nobody can go back into the walls or the steel. Can Mr. Corrigan add anything on how the State can accept...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: The State seems to be saying, by implication if nothing else, that the NDFA can accept third party certification. What is the State's liability if it transpires that something was wrong?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: If I had asked that question six months ago, one of the parties with responsibility for the next 25 years would have been Carillion. Is that not the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: Is Mr. Corrigan certain that PPP Co will be around for the next 25 years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: The current type of PPPs was designed to stop big contractors ripping off the State. What has happened is that the risk has been placed on the subcontractors, the little guys. The developers are using the subcontractors' good names to get goods in local stores, hire employees and so forth. The Construction Contracts Act 2013 provided that subcontractors would receive periodic payments....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: The legislation does not need to be examined too closely because the evidence is before the committee and can be seen outside the local schools that are part of this contract. Subcontractors, who have done an honest day's work, are losing money hand over fist, having done their job. Some of them are going wallop, which has an impact on their families and employees as well as local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: Can single school building projects not be done off-balance sheet?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: The NDFA indicated it had taken legal advice on the State's liability. I am curious about the earlier statement that the goods in the schools had been paid for. Has the State, through the NDFA or another entity, received evidence to that effect? Has retention of title and claim on title been investigated? Has Mr. Cahillane seen receipts and evidence that all of these goods have been paid for?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: It appears the State does not propose to conduct any investigation into whether the goods it is taking possession of have been paid for. The NDFA is washing its hands of the matter and telling contractors they can go to court.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: While that may be strictly what the contract says, surely the State has a duty of care? Many of these subcontractors have a legitimate expectation that the State would carry out proper due diligence. The NDFA indicated due diligence was done on Carillion, yet the company subsequently went wallop with €7 billion in debt. It is hard to see how the company was not trading recklessly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: Is the State not being unjustly enriched by taking possession of goods that have not been paid for?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: The NDFA has not yet paid.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: It is, however, prepared to pay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: What engagement is taking place with the schools? School principals, boards of management, parents and teachers have all been caught in the crossfire here. There is a serious shortage of school places in Wexford town and this is creating considerable pressure. Loreto secondary school in the town has hired new teachers, added new subjects to the curriculum and enrolled additional students....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships - Liquidation of the Carillion Group: National Development Finance Agency and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jul 2018)

James Browne: Does Mr. Corrigan expect students and teachers to cross a protest in their home town when they go to school in September? Have contingency plans been put in place?