Results 5,421-5,440 of 34,585 for speaker:Seán Fleming
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: I can give a simpler, practical example that we all will understand. In every town and city in Ireland there are various approved housing bodies funded by the State competing with each other to buy sites so they can build their houses and units. They are driving up the prices. It is happening everywhere now. Approved housing bodies and local authorities are often competing against each...
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: We have done our bit for the moment. I ask the Members of the Oireachtas to follow up on this matter through mechanisms other than this committee because we will be told it is not the business of the Committee of Public Accounts. It is, because it affects costs. I outlined it to put it on the record. That was the value for money report. We also spoke about a separate report. The...
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: I apologise for being distracted.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: At our last meeting, we had a note from the National Treatment Purchase Fund stating the review of the system of pricing under the nursing home support scheme was being finalised to be submitted to the Minister two weeks ago. I understand that is done. That is the pricing report which is separate from the bigger report.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: I may have missed the Deputy mentioning a part of the Department of Health's reply to the value for money review. The Department says that, as part of this work, it is proposed that there will be between 600 and 900 hours of direct contact with residents during the course of this study. I think that is what the Deputy is referring to.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Okay. The Department needs to be careful and approach that in the appropriate manner.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: It is on page 12 of correspondence 2151. It starts on page 11.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Yes, 2151. We will say that is moving. Many people are inquiring about that value for money report and it is useful to put out information when we have it. The next recommendation was that the HSE take steps to develop a protocol to ensure that all residents of nursing homes can avail of medical services when residing in nursing homes. That recommendation is noted. This is about the...
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Maybe I will put it in myself. I will think about it, seeing as I raised it. Ireland's national debt stood at approximately €198.7 billion at the end of 2017. The committee had said that this remains at a very high level. The NTMA has noted this. It does not agree with the committee's conclusion but has noted it. That debate goes on.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: The response has said that the Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure and Reform is informed by the National Treasury Management Agency that it notes the issue. The NTMA has accepted most of the recommendations but does not accept the committee's comment that it is worryingly high.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Yes. It was a conclusion the committee made on Ireland's national debt that it was worryingly high. It was noted. They neither agreed or disagreed.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: When one takes personal debt into account, Ireland is next to Japan in the world figures. I will now turn to recommendation A.26. The committee recommended that the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, publishes a list of housing completions on at least a quarterly basis. The idea is that the statistical information gathering is not last century but is prior to the last century. The...
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Not yet. The committee is not here next week. If we have not had a response to that request by the date of our next meeting, which is 13 June, and which will have been some five weeks since our last meeting with the board, then we will set a date to bring the board in to answer personally why its members have not replied.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: That is 13 June. If the response is not here by then we will bring the board members in.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Deputy MacSharry will note that we have received the Irish Banking Resolution Corporation special liquidation: progress report update, dated 22 May, which is just a couple of days ago and so have not looked at it yet.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: I have not yet. Is that update relevant to the issue or is it fundamental to the Deputy's point?
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: I have no doubt that the Deputy will raise the issue later in the meeting.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Okay.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: Special legislation.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 May 2019)
Seán Fleming: On the previous that Department of Finance officials were before us, we were shocked at how few staff were allocated to supervising this. We were all stunned.