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Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Within the Department of Health would there have been records of phone calls or private meetings?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Adding to the list I read to the witness earlier, it states in Mr. Watt's note that the board was established by ministerial order, which is fine, and it was there to plan, design, build, furnish and equip the national hospital in accordance with a brief approved by the HSE with the prior consent of the Minister. The note also mentions the National Development Finance Agency, NDFA, which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: No. If Mr. Watt felt there was something wrong here in the context of how that board performed or officials in his Department, the Department of Health or anybody else involved, or indeed the Minister, would he take action? Would he put the information before this committee, the Committee of Public Accounts or the health committee? Would he do so without covering up anything?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Mr. Watt is engaging with us here and giving us the background. He has served a long time as a senior civil servant, the "most senior civil servant" in the country, to quote today's news.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Mr. Watt is a strong enough character to put before any committee anything he might see that he believes would have been wrong. That is the question I am asking. I do not disbelieve him but we engage with civil servants.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: That brings our meeting to an end. I thank Mr. Watt.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: He spent all day at this. I also thank his officials. We have ended the meeting without a row.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: National Children's Hospital: Discussion with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: It stands to both of us that we are maturing as we go along in our exchanges.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: The select committee is considering the Further Revised Estimates for 2019 for the Office of Public Works. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, and his officials.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: To follow on from the discussion on Garda stations, the comment on most of the stations listed is that the decision on future use is on hold pending the outcome of the Government review. I take it from what the Minister of State has said that there is an input by the Garda Commissioner and the Minister and that at some stage a decision is made. How long does it take?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Miscellaneous buildings are included in the list. I want to ask about the meteorological station in Kilkenny. The comment is that it was an intra-State transfer. Does that mean that the county council asked the OPW for the building, or does it mean that the OPW asked and is transferring the building to it? Did the county council express an interest in it or was agreement reached in some...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: There is the Garda station in Castlecomer which, again, I would love to see in use for the community. I do not know whether the county council asked the OPW for it. If the Minister of State does not have a direct answer on both properties, perhaps they might let the committee know in due course.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: There is a community group that would be interested in using that Garda station. Deputy Pearse Doherty said there was also a community group in his constituency. What is the up-to-date position on the flood relief scheme in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Will the Minister of State remember the scheme?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: There has been a significant difficulty in Graiguenamanangh for years and a solution has to be found soon.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: I would like to receive an overview in writing from the Minister of State. Are the two engineers devising the scheme? How long will it take to deliver it?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: The Minister of State does not know how long the process will take to complete.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Please do. I want to ask about vacant properties and rents. Are there many vacant properties? I know that the OPW manages them for some Departments, but are they often left with properties such as office accommodation?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Deputy Pearse Doherty made a point about insurance that I also mentioned to the Minister of State at our last meeting. The Kilkenny flood relief scheme was one of the biggest in the country. In spite of the size of the scheme and the fact that the area has not flooded since, residents of John's Quay in Kilkenny city still find it difficult to get insurance cover. I raised the specific...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Further Revised) (7 Mar 2019)

John McGuinness: Recently I asked a parliamentary question about the use of glass blocks in Garda stations. I raised some issues in that regard. I do not expect the Minister of State to know the answer now, but I will send him further information. I would like the correspondence to be dealt with as efficiently as possible. Further questions have been raised with me about the quality of the blocks used and...