Results 7,201-7,220 of 28,162 for speaker:Catherine Murphy

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: Tusla has been fined on two occasions for breaching data protection rules. What was the extent of those fines? Are there any other such issues pending?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: I thank Mr. McCarthy.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: On the significant element of a severance deal, that tends to be a feature with third level institutions.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: This did not get the sanction.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: An issue that featured in the previous Committee of Public Accounts related to where a cohort of people were employed on a very piecemeal, part-time basis. We did a bit of work on that as a committee in the previous Dáil. Did that show up in the accounts? People who were employed on contracts had those contracts terminated and it was very chaotic.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: They were providing cover for lecturing, but these people were doing it on an effectively permanent, on-contract basis without getting permanency, and some of it was quite precarious. We tried to establish quite a bit of information about it at meetings of the previous committee.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: This is not the first time some derogatory remarks have been made about the committee in general. None of us is so sensitive that we are going to be concerned about the issue but it shows a mindset of seeking to manage the committee that is totally unacceptable. The Chairman is quite correct that we have a job to do and the public will make a decision as to whether we are doing a good one....

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: This related to two-year contracts for Analysys Mason, EY and William Fry. I am presuming that the two-year extension has actually been granted. It says that a contract extension is available so I am presuming those contracts have been extended. I know the last two years have not been normal but can we clarify that with them? Some of the response is on foot of questions that I and others...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: Are we sure about that? Some of the posts that we were looking at included clerical officers, executive officers, higher executive officers and administrative officers. They were not on the technical side. The idea seems to be to build up expertise in outside consultancies and not to have that expertise in the Department, even when it is cheaper to do so. It is important to establish the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: Yes, that would be very useful.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: Yes. Horse Sport Ireland has 24 affiliates ranging from pony clubs to Olympic-level organisations. There is a real mix there and getting one facility that caters for all of their needs is difficult. In case people think I know what I am talking about, I must say that other people have told me this. Essentially, Horse Sport Ireland gets the bulk of its funding from the Department of...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: It would have been from Punchestown, I think. Punchestown is not in my constituency, just in case anyone thinks I am batting for Kildare. The location is not really relevant to me. What is relevant is that Horse Sport Ireland is going to be spending a lot of money. It has 24 affiliates and it must meet their needs but the affiliates were only consulted after the fact. The planning...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: I do not know. I do not have that detail. What I am saying is that there are issues with this. The reply we received suggests that because this is a lease agreement, it is treated differently from a purchase but the key issue here is whether it meets the needs of the affiliates. If public money is going to be spent, can the facility actually function and meet their requirements? Can it...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: We also want to know if all of the affiliates can be accommodated and about the planning permission.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: It deals with sport.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: It deals with everything from pony clubs to dressage, showjumping and so on.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: I have already asked quite a few questions. I would be happy for the Committee of Public Accounts to write a letter to the Secretary General about the oversight.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: Yes. I see the issue is repeated in the correspondence where it states that any discussion of the content, hypothetical or otherwise, would prejudice the ability of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board to successfully enforce its existing contractual relationships, as it is required to do, to ensure the best value and return to the taxpayer. Of course, we all want that, but...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: There is just one question about the final paragraph of the correspondence that I would like us to establish before they come in. The correspondence refers to the mechanisms set out within the contract for any delay caused by the contractor's substantial completion date - for example, as a result of resourcing and so on - but the employer's claim is then determined by the employer's...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (2 Jun 2022)

Catherine Murphy: Exactly.