Results 5,361-5,380 of 10,460 for speaker:Gerry Horkan

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I do not think that is valid.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: The Minister of State should not use its answers for us.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: While I am not delighted with the Minister of State's response, as my party is involved in the confidence and supply arrangement I will withdraw my support for the amendment, having had a decent and robust debate on it. The Minister of State may argue that this is not a revenue-raising measure but anyone who was previously paying a 0% rate of VAT on products and is now paying 13.5% will not...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: The same health warning applies. If the recommendation is moved and withdrawn and Senators do not speak on it, it can be challenged on Report Stage.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Senator Conway-Walsh might wish to stand while she is addressing us.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Recommendations Nos. 19 and 20 have been ruled out of order as they are not relevant to the subject matter of the Bill.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Recommendation No. 22 has been ruled out of order as it is not relevant to the subject matter of the Bill.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Order for Report Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: When is it proposed to take Report Stage?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Order for Report Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Is that agreed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: It would be more difficult than that to get Mr. Watt fired.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Mr. Watt was definitely at this committee. It was not for seven hours but there were other committees as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: It was not as memorable as Mr. Watt thought.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I thank Mr. Watt for appearing before the committee. I appreciate that he probably turns up for meetings of the select committee regarding the Estimates but I think this is only his second time before the joint committee in the three and a half years I have been a member so he is very welcome. It would be useful if he came before this committee as the lead person in the Department at least...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Would the Chairman like me to take the Chair so the Senators can continue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I accept the point Mr. Watt is making. Not everybody in an organisation of 325,000 people will be on par or above par. The vast bulk of employees are. This is Ireland - we all know people who work in various Departments and in the wider public service, which, as Mr. Watt has acknowledged, is much larger than the Civil Service. It is very frustrating to have an employee who consistently...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I appreciate that. It is fair to say that Mr. Watt is responsible not only for the Civil Service but for the wider public service. His Department deals with public expenditure and reform in local authorities, the teaching profession, universities, An Garda and the HSE. The role of the Department is to cover public expenditure. Everything that the State spends should come under the remit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I thought that might be the answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: "The policy of administration and the administration of policy". I saw that episode as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: I did not say that he was not. I am just saying they are large Departments.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Matters relating to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Discussion (3 Dec 2019)

Gerry Horkan: Before he was the Minister for Finance, he was quite busy in Mr. Watt's Department. He now has two Departments. That is the point I am making. I saw a report from Mr. Watt's Department last month about the growth in public service numbers and the related planning. There is almost full employment. Mr. Watt has spoken of people's unwillingness to go to senior levels because they might have...