Results 8,301-8,320 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I was going to come to that, but I will come to it now. I will clear up the matter of illegality. I know the Deputy mentioned illegality. There was no suggestion on our part that we were in search of illegality at all. That was not our job and it was not the judge's job. My guess is that if there was anything like that, it would be referred elsewhere or picked up elsewhere. The Deloitte...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I will answer that question. Neither report was commissioned before the Moran inquiry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I am certain. I do not think that is the case. Of course the Deloitte inquiry is a very important part of this jigsaw, but it was not the only thing paid for from that €300,000, which was spent over a year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I think we are on the same side here. There is no problem with that. The idea that we should give funding to a body which has not set its house in order is unacceptable. My only interest, and that of the Government, is that the money should be used properly, which means in the interest of the athletes, their families and supporters. The problem we have identified is that the organisation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: As far as I know, it was not public knowledge. It is stated in the report that there were proposals to that effect. I refer the Deputy to where it is repeated several times in the report that there were proposals to that effect. There is nothing in it to the effect that a contract had been signed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I apologise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: May I respond to a question yesterday from Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I should leave at 10 a.m., but I will try to stay longer. In response to Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe's question about whether the prosecutor's office had been in touch, the answer is no.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: May I respond to that question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Let me try to accommodate Deputy Mick Barry in that regard. That is perfectly fair and I have no problem with it. I said to the Chairman yesterday when there were negotiations on the duration of today's meeting that I would only be able to stay until 10 a.m. I can stay a little longer and will do so for a reasonable period. I may, however, have to leave to make a telephone call, for which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I guarantee that I have no intention of leaving without answering all members' questions. Mr. Ferreti has not replied to the request. To answer the question about why I came home, it was a case of deciding where I would be more useful in accelerating the fact-finding process and, presumably, setting up an inquiry. In respect of the agreement which we seemed to be on the verge of making...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I am sorry, but will the Deputy repeat the question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Not in the slightest.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Let me answer the last question first, before I forget. I just do not know the answer to that question. Quite obviously I do not know the answer to who knew what about this. Deputy Munster can ask the OCI representatives that question when they come in later. I do not know who knew about it. We know that much of the activity in that area within the OCI, including the whole ticketing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: No, I did not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I knew that he was not going to have an independent on his own inquiry team. I certainly did not not know what his response would be to having a judge-led inquiry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: I did not. The Deputy cannot tell me if I had or not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Report into Ticketing at Rio Olympic Games: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Aug 2017)

Shane Ross: Perhaps I should have had, but I did not. That is the Deputy's judgment, but I did not have any idea. If the Deputy wishes, I will again go through the reasons for having a statutory as opposed to a non-statutory inquiry, but I have already gone through them this morning.