Results 11,541-11,560 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Regional Airports (18 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: 560. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason for his statement that the future of Waterford Airport is highly uncertain unless private funding is secured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25520/19]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Regional Airports (18 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: 561. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the difference in the announced matched funding plan for Waterford Airport as announced on 11 June 2019 and the commitment to matched funding in A Programme for a Partnership Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25521/19]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Regional Airports (18 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: 562. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the decision has been taken to match public funds with private funds for the extension of the runway at Waterford Airport with the condition that the public funds are only released after the private funds have been secured first; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25522/19]

Organisation of Working Time (Workers’ Rights and Bogus Self-Employment) (Amendment) Bill 2019: First Stage (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 to prohibit the practice of designating employment as self-employment; to bring the Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, and doctors in training, under the protection of the Act; to limit the race to the bottom on workers’ rights by extending elements of the Act...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I imagine the next periodic report will be dealing with the national broadband plan-----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: -----and that precise point of perceived conflicts of interest. It is an obvious one and is not even perceived, in my view. Even if there is a perception, it is a policy decision and is probably something that has to be looked at from that perspective, but we can at least make a recommendation.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Is there a formal process if there was somebody who felt that he or she missed out on a tender, maybe not for straightforward reasons? What is such a person's recourse? Whoever this individual is, he took that effort. I agree with the Chairman's summation, but is there some other avenue we can send this person back to that is the correct avenue?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: If somebody is not happy with a contract awarded as a consequence of a tendering process, is there an appeal process or some mechanism by which he or she can raise concern?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: The question is whether there was a potential cost to the Exchequer because the standards were not what they should have been in this case.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is fair enough.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I do not agree with that analysis at all. I totally agree that we would need to look at what is within and not within our remit. I have no difficulty with that. There is much correspondence that comes our way that is not within our remit.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is why we have the three categories and they are well filtered for our benefit by the secretariat. Tendering and procurement is certainly within our remit.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: We have to be careful that we protect our own committee. Deputy Farrell is correct generally, but given the issues that are being raised, it would be remiss of us to merely send it back to the sender or send it off to a sectoral committee.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I commend Commissioner Harris for his response. To be fair to him, his giving of incorrect information to the committee was inadvertent. It was an issue he probably did not expect to be raised. However, there are other questions arising from it that should be answered. I ask that my questions be forwarded to the Commissioner's office for clarification.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Definitely not.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Does NAMA accept that it was a failure on its part that the disclosure was not made in the annual financial statements and that the audit committee was not informed, or is that just Mr. McCarthy's opinion? Has he received a response from NAMA on this point and is it an ongoing issue for his office?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I accept that, but has it acknowledged that it was a mistake not to disclose them in the annual report and financial statements? Does it accept that it should have informed the audit committee and the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General? May we write to the agency giving Mr. McCarthy's opinion on the matter?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: It is not clear whether NAMA has accepted that it was a mistake not to put it in the financial statement and inform the audit committee about it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I am satisfied with that if Mr. McCarthy is satisfied with it. My concern is that if NAMA did not accept that a mistake had been made, it could happen again.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (13 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I agree completely with the observations of the Chairman. I would be slow to use the word "fiddled" because it has certain connotations, but it certainly involves massaging the figures and sleight of hand. I would like to contribute on the audit opinion, but I will allow other members to comment on this issue first.