Results 901-920 of 939 for speaker:Noel Treacy

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Services for Children with Autism. (27 Jun 2003)

Noel Treacy: I am pleased that the Senator has given me the opportunity to outline to the House the Department of Education and Science's current position in respect of this issue. There are two special classes for children with autistic spectrum disorders at Lucan Educate Together national school. These classes cater for 11 pupils. Each class has a class teacher and three special needs assistants. The...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Prisons Service. (27 Jun 2003)

Noel Treacy: On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I welcome the opportunity to clarify the position on this matter raised by Senator Burke.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Treacy: How is that benchmarked?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Industrial Disputes. (7 May 2003)

Noel Treacy: I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the action being taken by the Civil and Public Services Union in the Department's local offices. In February CPSU members in those offices voted in favour of industrial action to secure what they considered improved promotion structures. The industrial action commenced in the local offices with effect from Tuesday, 18 March 2003. Union members...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Industrial Disputes. (7 May 2003)

Noel Treacy: I would like to state clearly that the scope for agreeing any deal is limited by the terms of the various social partnership agreements, the need to control public expenditure and the implications for other sectors of the public service, if a concession is made in this case.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Noel Treacy: Not true.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Noel Treacy: I stand over my statement.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: The proposed national development finance agency is not intended to undertake project management. The functions of the agency, which are very specific and are set out in section 3, include providing advice and, in certain circumstances, finance in respect of public investment projects, including public private partnerships. It will be a matter for the relevant Ministers or, where there is...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: Section 3(3) provides: "In carrying out its functions the Agency shall comply with all guidelines and instructions that the Minister may, from time to time, issue to the Agency." Such guidelines will be drafted by an interdepartmental group of experts and will be subject to the advice of the Office of the Attorney General. They will take full account of national and EU procurement procedures...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: I have listened with great interest to the important points made by Senators Paddy Burke, Mansergh and Ulick Burke. Senator Paddy Burke raised the question of tendering for PPPs and asked about the companies that put forward the best overall deal. The NDFA will advise State authorities on the financial elements of the tenders and will assess and evaluate what has been proposed. Invitations to...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: I would not say that. The Senator is in the middle of it and I hope he can use it to the maximum advantage of our constituents. He was on that local authority for a long time. I hope all of these innovations and structures are working.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: It is not the first time that the charge has been levelled at the Government that it is creating another layer of bureaucracy. It is not the first time that the Opposition has been wrong. We have created agencies—

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: Always remember that it is very important for a politician to be optimistic. Tomorrow will always be better than today.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: Do I hear my old friend, Senator Brian Hayes? It is good to hear him. As my colleague, Deputy McCreevy said, it is not another layer of bureaucracy. It is an added dimension, providing financial expertise to Ministers, Government Departments and State agencies and authorities to get the best value for money. If we wanted to create another layer of bureaucracy we would do what the Opposition...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: The NTMA is saving, on average, €1 billion per annum for the Exchequer and taxpayer. It has an outstanding record of success and outstanding people. It is a small, focused agency, able to deal in the international marketplace, give advice to the Central Bank, the Department of Finance and the Government of the day, do the job and deliver to the people.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: This is a similar body with a different role and it will work parallel to, and in co-operation with, the NTMA. Expertise on technical and structural issues will be found in the NRA or any other agency this new body will be dealing with and need not be duplicated in the NDFA. The new agency will bring many benefits. It is expected that these will include maximising value for money by helping...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: It will underpin the PPP approach to the delivery of infrastructure and will centralise commercial, financial and legal expertise, reducing dependence on external consultants with consequent cost savings to the State. What more can we do? How could one do it better? How are we to get rid of the delay caused by tendering for consultancies, going through the interview process, advertising and...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: My definition of value for money is very clear.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: Value for money is what I judge to be value for money by my standards. Value for money for the taxpayer is different. As public representatives we, along with bodies, authorities and agencies working for the State, are obliged to ensure that in the delivery of any public project we get the best deal for the taxpayer by tendering publicly, operating according to best international practice,...

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (17 Dec 2002)

Noel Treacy: Senator Paddy Burke is correct – of course public private partnerships are commercial entities that exist to make money. There is nothing wrong with that. We are giving a new dimension to the State financing and procurement area, giving it commercial teeth and taking it away from the situation where it has been a constant drain on the Exchequer, where the tap is run and the nation is bled...