Results 6,161-6,180 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: I referred to this last week. What I do not want to see happening is large amounts of money going on consultants' fees. That is taxpayers' money and I want to see it going into grassroots sports. We are bringing powers back to ourselves so that when the new body is formed, if it wants to bring in consultants, it will refer back to the Department. We will not be interfering with its...

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: What I do not want is to tie the hands of the new sports body. There are enough controls in that there will be discussions between Department officials and the new body. I would expect that guidelines will be drawn up and that there will be discussions with the Department before it could hire consultants. That is the whole point of this. There would have to be a policy decision by the...

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: Senator Bradford made a point on a particular provision but it is a standard provision. It is common across all Acts when we are setting up State boards or new agencies. It gives them the power to appoint consultants when they need advice. Senator Eamonn Coghlan is correct in that Abbotstown will be an example in future. It is developing at such a fast pace. I made a request in this...

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: The reason I will not appoint the first CEO relates to bringing some clarity to the new organisation. Two boards and two agencies are coming together as one. Deputy Dooley raised this with me in the Dáil. I am doing exactly what Senators Bradford and Darragh O'Brien want me to do. I do not want to interfere with the process. I could appoint the first CEO. It is provided for in the...

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: The answer to the last question "Yes". I presume the salary will be the same as that being paid now.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: I will have to check that with my officials. I understand the salary will be the same. I was not part of the negotiations but it has been agreed with the Department. I will write officially to the Senator and give him details. I was not part of those discussions, so I do not know. I will appoint the first chief executive for one year and I am doing it simply because the Senator and his...

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: No.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: The appointment has not been made.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: Can I clarify something?

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: The salary approved for the CEO of the new body reflects the wider role of the new CEO. The salary has been agreed for the CEO of the new body. When I appoint somebody for one year, naturally enough, that will be the salary for that person and for whoever continues afterwards. I just wanted to clarify that.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: I do not know but I will get that information for the Senator.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: The salary is approved for the role but not for the person. It is very unusual - I have never heard it before - for Senators to talk about salaries. However, I have no problem with it because people know what Senator Darragh O'Brien and I are paid.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: I have no problem in that regard. I do not have an issue with that. Let us be fair as well. There will be an amalgamation of two boards and greater responsibility. In particular with Abbotstown, there will be serious responsibilities because there are serious issues there that will have to be taken over. I am sure Senator Darragh O'Brien will be well aware of that.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: A lot of those issues were created there and there are a lot of serious issues that have to be dealt with.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: The chief executive, whoever gets that job, will have a major responsibility in taking over two agencies. There are also a lot of other substitute agencies in that regard. It is a big responsibility-----

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: -----a big job. Personally, I do not have a problem with telling Senators. I do not know what the salary is but I will get that information to Senator Darragh O'Brien.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: On the timeframe, the minute we get the legislation through, I will make a decision on it because we need to get the new agency up and running and I want to put an interim chief executive in place. Then I need to put in place a chairman and board. I want to have all of this done because one year from when it is set up, this new position will be made available. We could have made the...

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: I want to make it clear to Senator Darragh O'Brien that nobody has been appointed because there is no job, and the person cannot be appointed until we get the legislation through.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: On the first question as to the terms and how long the person will be in place, the normal terms of a contract are agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Normally, CEO contracts are for five to seven years. That is what it will be. There will be no change in that. In regard to the appointment, what I am trying to do is to facilitate continuity. That is why I am not...

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (29 Apr 2015)

Michael Ring: I understand there will be no change in status. Whatever scheme they are in at present, they will stay in it.