Results 11,881-11,900 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: I am more concerned about the bigger issue of the HEA report, which cannot be published.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: Is it acceptable for it to be parked and for that to be the end of the matter?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: The HEA's examination came on the back of our work and a commitment was given to this committee by the former head of that organisation to do a deeper dive into the issue of intellectual property at WIT. More than 50 people were engaged in the process and the report was concluded but it cannot be published. We then had a discussion with the Department of Education and Skills, whose...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: I suggest that we write to the Department as well because it has oversight of this area. On the back of the Thorn report into this issue and the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Department recommended changes in the governance of ETBs. Given that many decisions were not approved by the board, perhaps we need to ask the Department what changes it is making to tighten that up...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: It may have been captured in the-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: I welcome Mr. Griffin and his team. Mr. Griffin said that the assessment process of the final tender is nearing completion and that as part of concluding that process, the Minister will then bring a recommendation to the Government. We hope it will recommend that the plan proceeds and contracts are then signed. Are the contracts signed at that stage?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: A recommendation could be made as part of this process that there is a preferred bidder.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: Is that process part of the assessment that is being done?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: A recommendation is made for a preferred bidder and it goes to the Cabinet. Will that then be an indicative cost or an actual cost?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: Can there be an overrun?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: I understand all of that. Hopefully if a contract is signed it will be on the basis of an actual cost.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: Mr. Griffin cannot tell us what the actual cost will be for obvious reasons.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: We will know it at that point. Is Mr. Griffin saying that it will be impossible to go beyond that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: That will be the cost. Is Mr. Griffin confident that the project will go ahead?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: Who is part of the assessment process? Are the Department and Mr. Griffin part of the assessment process?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: I have a question about the assessment process. Are a number of options contained in the assessment process? Has the Department examined all options, including potentially not proceeding?

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: Mr. Griffin might tell us what those alternatives would be. If the Department is doing an assessment, it must examine at all the options.

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: There was a report in the Irish Independentrecently on foot of the Taoiseach's appearance before the finance committee. He told that committee that he could not give a guarantee that the project would go ahead until the final contracts were signed, and that he and the Government would await the assessment. As part of that assessment - and the Department is overseeing that work - has the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 29 - Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadband Service Provision: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2019)

David Cullinane: When the assessment process is complete, which Mr. Griffin said is near conclusion, is it possible that it will give a number of options to the Government? I accept it is a matter for the Government. The Government will decide what is the best course of action and ultimately on how to proceed. Regarding the information it will get from the Department on foot of the assessment process, will...