Results 5,561-5,580 of 7,126 for speaker:Alan Farrell
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: Forgive me, sorry.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: I was thinking about it because I know where the conversation is going to go. It will descend into a sectoral committee, and we are not a sectoral committee. It will descend into a debate about locations.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: The Chairman knows we will do that.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: It is coming up in the Dáil today and it will be dealt with tomorrow.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: They are not going to be able to answer the questions.
- Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: That is the point.
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: I welcome Dr. Love and congratulate him on his appointment. I thank the Comptroller and Auditor General and his team for their work on these audits. I will start with the Comptroller and Auditor General, for whom I have a couple of questions on delays in the production of audits, particularly as regards Waterford and three universities - DCU, UCC and NUIG. Dr. Love mentioned that these...
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: Is that independent commercial audit of benefit to Mr. McCarthy's office?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: Is Dr. Love's comment that there are unique circumstances in relation to reporting in the higher education sector entirely accurate on the basis of the rationale Mr. McCarthy has outlined?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: In effect, is the Comptroller and Auditor General suggesting that the delays, while regrettable, are due to circumstances both of a historic perspective and of progressing that as he mentioned, and not specific to any particular issue in terms of the accounting practices of those facilities of which he is aware?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: My last question seems somewhat redundant on the issue of delays. It was in relation to consequences. It is not necessary to go into it. Mr. McCarthy mentioned he had statutory authority to enforce certain timelines on delayed audits. Would Mr. McCarthy address that briefly?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: Other than notoriety and perhaps scrutiny by this authority, is there a consequence per se?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: I thank Mr. McCarthy for that. The financial review of the institutes has shown the funding issues. The sustainability of those institutions is really at risk, not only in terms of their academic performance but in terms of their very survival, particularly if it is not addressed. Another four have identified themselves as being at risk, either through deficit issues or limited reserves....
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: Is the Higher Education Authority receiving sufficient supports in order to implement those points?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: One of the drawbacks of the Committee of Public Accounts is that we are specifically precluded from going into those policy decisions. Ultimately, it comes down to which of the Cassells options is adopted. I understand Dr. Love's 12 days will not be sufficient to answer this question, but he may have an opinion nonetheless. On the viability of some of these facilities in the long term...
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: I note there was a deficit in the university funding pension schemes that required employer contributions. These schemes were subsequently closed in 2005. In order to resolve the deficit of just about €200 million at the time, a temporary mechanism was introduced which I understand is still in place. I am not sure whether that qualifies as temporary. What actions is the HEA taking...
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: What action is the HEA taking to stand down the temporary mechanism put in place to address the deficit in the old pension scheme? How long will it be before the HEA can step away from that temporary arrangement that has been in place for 12 years?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: That is fine.
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: Would I be right in saying that there is no question of there being a deficit in an individual's pension on the old scheme?
- Public Accounts Committee: HEA - Financial Statement 2015 (29 Mar 2017)
Alan Farrell: There is no issue then. I wonder-----