Results 1,001-1,020 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senators and my officials for their help on this Bill.

Seanad: Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: It needs to return there.

Seanad: Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am pleased to address the House on the Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023. I thank Senators for the opportunity to present this Bill. The main purpose of the Bill is to strengthen the statutory provisions available to Government to respond to a severe or prolonged oil emergency in the context of ensuring adequate supplies for the...

Seanad: Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I will address a number of the points that have been made by Senators. Three Senators raised the general concept that we are talking about here with regard to security of supply and the fact that the right long-term way to achieve this is by reducing our dependence on oil. Senator Reilly mentioned that in the context of having further offshore wind near Galway. Senator Horkan made a...

Seanad: Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: It is very good that we clarify that. I thank Senator Horkan for raising the question. We need to be very clear that the threshold for what constitutes an emergency is not changing from the working definition, which has been in place for more than 50 years. Second, we need to be clear this is a matter for Government decision rather than one to be decided on by the Minister on his own....

Seanad: Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022 is ambitious and broad-ranging legislation that will make a number of key changes to a range of areas, including the regulation of electronic communications, protection of electronic communications consumers, security of communications networks and changes to postal services and to the Digital Hub...

Seanad: Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I will keep going then. In respect of the amendments relating to high-risk vendors, these amendments will set out how a risk assessment will be conducted, aligned with the principles of the EU toolbox for 5G security. Recognising the functions exercised by certain Departments and agencies in respect of national security, the risk assessment will be conducted in consultation with relevant...

Seanad: Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senators for their contributions, which were, as ever, interesting and insightful. Senator Garvey welcomed the delivery of a universal service obligation. As she said, there is one for landline telephones.This is now an evolution of this whereby everybody in the country will be entitled to a broadband connection at a minimum speed for an affordable price. It will be more complex to...

Seanad: Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The other 19 countries that have legislated for this have had to use terminology of one kind or another. For example, Austria and Cyprus use the phrase “high-risk supplier”; in Czech Republic, it is “evaluation of trustworthiness”; in Estonia, it is “high-risk”; the Dutch went for “untrusted suppliers”; and the Slovenians went for...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: That is a very good question. The Deputy and committee members will appreciate that public procurement has to work within not only Irish law but European law. We are constrained by that. There are basic principles that apply when the State is buying goods or services. It must do so in a transparent way. It must act in a non-discriminatory way that enures everybody gets a fair chance. It...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I have not had a complaint to date that people’s tenders are not being considered. Once you bid for a contract, you really have to be treated equally in law along with other bidders. The process is complex the first time a company bids for a Government contract, particularly if it is a small organisation. A very large organisation might be so large that it has a division that does...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: We have a role in forming European law at the Council. In addition, we examine how other jurisdictions cope with European law, because they face the same rules. I asked my Department to engage with the Dutch procurement body to determine whether it was taking a different approach and whether there was something different that we could do that would give a better outcome for companies. In...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Any company that fails to win a tender is entitled to the information on why. It is entitled to find out what it went down on.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am not aware, but I can tell the committee what the rules are. The situation is that the Department is the contracting authority - it engages in the contract and follows through on the procurement rules. I expect it would be done through emergency procurement. In that case they would not have to follow all the rules because they are in the position of trying to house people who have...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: No decision has been made to change the statutory nature of the OGP at this stage. There is not a draft Bill or a heads of agreement or anything. There have been suggestions made that the OGP should be more independent in its function, but no decision has been made by Government on that.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The more data that is available, the better. For example, when procurement frameworks are produced where there is a recommended supplier, data is obtained from the supplier on how many times that framework was used, which gives us some indication of whether the framework has been useful. We are able to calculate cost savings for different Departments. A job is done whereby cost savings...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The data being collected needs to be relevant to the goal trying to be achieved with the function of the office. The principal responsibility for expenditure will still lie with the contracting authority. The Department taking out the contract and spending it should be collecting the data. It is important for us see whether the frameworks we make are being used and the degree to which we...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The Deputy is referring to a different framework from the construction works management framework, which is being reviewed and updated. I do not have data on that one with me.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Ossian Smyth: If the Deputy has suggestions on what data she does not see in the report that she thinks would be useful and would show whether the OGP is performing correctly and she thinks I should collect that data, she can ask me and I will see if I can get it.