Results 7,241-7,260 of 8,073 for speaker:Peter Burke
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: I welcome the witnesses from Bord na gCon, including the acting chief executive officer. I thank Mr. Meaney for his opening statement. With regard to the management of the greyhound industry, it is clear the sector is at a crossroads. In the context of the current board, the committee must assess the results presented in the 2015 annual report and how the board has driven matters in respect...
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: It was disappointing for an organisation that was getting €261,000 per week in taxpayers' money, although I know some of the contributions come from industry. To focus on page 39 of the annual report, is the €2.778 million in respect of the 57 staff who were taken on?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Let me rephrase the question. Is that figure in respect of the 57 full-time equivalents?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: That would be a full-time equivalent cost of approximately €48,000.
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: My big concern is in regard to the number of casual staff within the industry. To take the proposals in the departmental circular, whereby one has to disclose all salaries in excess of €60,000, a concern for me is that, in 2015, 11 board members of Bord na gCon received not far off €1.2 million. That is 11 members of staff. Is that sustainable in an industry which, from the...
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Irrespective of that, I think it very concerning that almost 10% of the Bord na gCon wage bill is potentially going to 11 people. I want to know if that increased in 2016 or 2017.
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: The number of meetings and the amount of prize money are decreasing. We are selling our assets, as has been highlighted in the past 48 hours. To be fair, the defined benefit current service costs at note 8 in the annual report can be taken out because those are not full-time equivalents who are carrying out their duties at present. However, in 2015, €10.3 million was paid for 240...
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Has there been any decrease in wage costs from this implementation?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: By any metric, the wages being paid do not look sustainable.
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Is Mr. Murnane happy with the 11 board members getting €1.2 million?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: I am very concerned. If other areas are falling, we cannot make an industry sustainable if we are not leading by example. That is an important element, but it does not seem to be the case in this context. Why did the legal costs almost double?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: There have been a number of media reports documenting how the board exercises its judgment in taking cases to court. Its record has been called into question. Would Mr. Murnane like to comment?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Ignore that one. What about other cases?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: I am concerned by that and am not fully convinced. Regarding the Indecon report's recommendations on strengthening the board of directors and management, does the board now include someone who is experienced in marketing?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Is that why the IGB closed Harold's Cross on St. Valentine's night?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: The Indecon report was clear, in that a large part of the board had to be concerned with marketing. The 2016 Indecon report recommended increasing the size of the board if someone with that skill set needed to be included. Why is there no one who is dedicated to marketing?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Unfortunately, time is not on our side. The pace seems slow. Has the board appointed a risk officer yet?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: Is the recommendation that non-executive board members should no longer serve on subsidiary boards being implemented?
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: My concern is that the report, which is a cornerstone of the industry, made recommendations, so I would have expected marketing to be a cornerstone in the future strategy for greyhound racing, but it looks like that situation has not been resolved.
- Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015 (4 May 2017)
Peter Burke: This is recommendation No. 1.