Results 7,161-7,180 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: They might deal with corporate issues. On one last point, could the HEA also provide an explanation as to the wide timeframe in regard to putting in place these helplines?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: I concur with Deputy Murphy that the Minister should appear before the committee. I spent four hours at the meeting of the Joint Committee on Health yesterday going through this issue. It was useful in terms of what the Committee of Public Accounts will be doing for separate reasons. Prior to the meeting, I was not fully aware of certain facts. The board that was set up is a publicly...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: They are the same person. There is a chairperson and there is an individual who is almost a direct liaison construction officer. I ask that those persons, whose names I will provide to the Chair, appear, along with Mr. Dean Sullivan.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: He is over the board which oversees the project. I will ascertain his exact title.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: Mr. Jim Breslin should also appear, along with any relevant departmental officials and the Minister. There are four layers in this process.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: I welcome all the guests, in particular the Secretary General, Mr. O'Driscoll, and the director general of the service, Ms McCaffrey. They are both new appointments, to whom I wish the best of luck in their new roles. I have a number of questions and I ask that we have a quick-fire engagement in order that we can cover as much as possible. When will the investigation into the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: I accept the Department will not have the information to hand, but will it revert to the committee to indicate whether there have been any costs for surveillance in any of the prisons or of any prison officers over the past five years? Will the Department inquire across the prison whether there have been any costs associated with any surveillance of prison officers, and revert to the committee?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: That would help with a number of matters and clarify where surveillance is going on because if it is, there must be associated costs. The Protected Disclosures Bill was enacted in 2014. Why was it not introduced in the Prison Service until October 2015? Why did it need to be updated recently? The opening statements by Ms McCaffrey and Mr. O'Driscoll noted that a policy has been...

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: Does the liaison which the Department conducts include the Prison Service, the Department and any other body?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: Mr. O'Driscoll has answered my questions and, for time reasons, I will move on. I am interested in the change of internal auditor which was made. I accept that the issue of protected disclosures is changing and evolving. We, including those of us in the committee, are learning collectively. I will not beat around the bush. We all know which body we are talking about, and Deputy...

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: When was the panel put in place?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: Will Mr. O'Driscoll write to the committee showing the tender, the documentation and what other companies were asked? This firm keeps on popping up. I just want to see how it was picked, how it was tendered for and what other firms tendered? By the way, it would be easier if the Department would hold its hands up if it was not tendered for.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: Sometimes it is better to do that because if it is not done, then it means sending in a parliamentary question for the information.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: Regarding the impact on those submitting protected disclosures, some of them have to get counselling. Some of their family members, because of the way in which they were treated, also have to get counselling. Will Mr. O'Driscoll outline the costs for such counselling over five years by prison and other areas of the Prison Service? This is a cost to the Exchequer. Is there a loss to the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: That is not the issue. I am talking about 21st and 80th birthday parties. Being honest, we need to say it is happening and deal with it as a loss to the Exchequer or else debunk the myths. It is either happening or it is not.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: I am referring to catering in the prison being used for outside events. For example, equipment and foodstuffs belonging to a prison being taken outside. The prison’s rice is eaten outside the prison.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: Mr. O’Driscoll will take on board what I said about the issue of the internal audit and mediation. Several committee members met this individual. What I have said in this regard should be taken on board in a generous way. An apology was given by Mr. O’Driscoll’s predecessor. I have read the judge’s findings on the matter several times. However, it went to...

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 - Prisons (17 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: It is at a stalemate. Something must unlock it.

Nurses and Midwives: Motion [Private Members] (16 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: The Labour Party will be 100% supporting the nurses in their action. I welcome the INMO representatives in the Gallery and I acknowledge the PNA which is also represented. It is a sorry day that it has come to this point. I have no doubt the senior Minister needs to be away from the Chamber for personal time and I 100% appreciate that. I am glad the Minister of State is here because he is...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Commemorative Events (16 Jan 2019)

Alan Kelly: 54. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will be attending the commemoration of the Soloheadbeag ambush in January 2019. [54138/18]