Results 10,981-11,000 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: I was not going to ask questions about the number of employees and contract issues, but I was not aware of how large the number of staff who are not directly employed by the organisation was. Will the witnesses give the figure again? I am looking for the number of staff who are directly employed and the number who are on contracts, be they employed by a company to which the NTA is...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: How many people are employed directly?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Separate to that, how many are on contracts?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: There are more people on contracts than are directly employed.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Few organisations in the public sector have a ratio that is so high. It seems extraordinary.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: But the NTA is not there yet.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Let me establish the facts. The NTA has more people who are on contracts than are directly employed. Are they classed as self-employed?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Yes, but are any of those on contracts deemed to be self-employed?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Has the NTA any obligation in terms of pension entitlements or holiday pay?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Do they get those entitlements from their employers?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: That is something. We have examined this issue in the context of RTÉ and other public bodies where there were increases for different reasons. Still, this ratio seems extraordinary. Will our guests provide a clear note on why it happened? Ms Graham mentioned that it was partly because, when the moratorium was put in place during the crash, the NTA had no choice but to outsource....

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Just so we are clear, is it possible that some of those who are on contracts are also on contracts with the companies in question? They could very well be classed as self-employed because they would be on contracts for service rather than contracts of service with those companies with which the NTA has entered into contracts.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: That is in all of the NTA's contracts. The NTA can categorically say that no one could be categorised as self-employed.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Our guests might provide that to us, along with the breakdown, in a written note.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: From a value-for-money perspective, the Department and the NTA could revert with information on how much it costs to employ the 147 or 149 people who are on contract as opposed to the 140 who are directly employed. From a cost-benefit perspective, would it be more expensive or cheaper to have them directly employed rather than contracted? I will put this question to Ms Hanlon and Ms Graham....

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: That would provide for a great deal of investment in public bicycle sharing schemes and in local authorities' cycle lanes. That would be €20 million per year.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: It is a lot of money.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: The Department could respond first. The officials are here and they may as well respond.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: A lengthy review process that involves deep levels of analysis is not necessary to come to the obvious conclusion, which we have reached, that it is costing €10 million more and that there is a problem here. The logic of putting the moratorium in place as a result of the crash was that we had to reduce and contain our costs, yet it turns out that in many cases it cost us more. Not...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Financial Statements of the National Transport Authority (10 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: I will move on to public transport and policy development. First, I commend the NTA on the work it has done. I read its 2018 report, which was comprehensive. There have been many advances in public transport for which we can be thankful. There has been an increase in the use of public transport as well, which is good. I wish to examine, from a value for money perspective, how the NTA...