Results 13,841-13,860 of 26,537 for speaker:John McGuinness

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: I have to ask these questions in relation to public comment, the first of which is to the Comptroller and Auditor General. Reference was made to the fact that the Comptroller and Auditor General did not have the wherewithal, as it was described, to deal with NAMA and this issue. Can he confirm for the committee that that is the case? I think he has done so already.

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: Second, mention was made of about 13 cases being investigated by the Garda in relation to NAMA. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: Mr. McDonagh is not aware of them.

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: They are complaints rather than-----

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: Does Ms O'Reilly know whether the investigations are at an advanced stage?

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: It will not tell NAMA. Has Mr. McDonagh disciplined many staff within his organisation in relation to, as is classified, insider dealing or leaking of information or accepting-----

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: Do they relate to information being given? Do they relate to any other issue for staff in terms of receiving presents in recognition of their work?

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: Therefore, they are referred to the Garda.

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: I return to what Deputy Mary Lou McDonald said. Having listened to what has been said here, I firmly believe the process should have been abandoned. There is no doubt in my mind about this, although one may say it is with the benefit of hindsight. Bearing in mind what has been said in relation to the small economy, the small number of players, the information being shared, the memorandum of...

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: No, the Comptroller and Auditor General will look at the analysis within NAMA. Beyond that, and because there are other players outside of this jurisdiction, it is difficult to deal with it. A mechanism should be found to deal with it in an all island way, where agencies on both sides of the Border co-operate to present to the public a fuller picture of what happened.

Public Accounts Committee: National Asset Management Agency: Financial Statements 2014 (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: I do not know, Deputy Deasy, but I believe that NAMA should be concerned about clearing its name and about the discussions at this committee this morning. If there was wrongdoing, it should be identified, uncovered and explained. When one has the Isle of Man and the numbers of companies involved, and when it is explained as it was explained to this committee, the story worsens. The plot...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: Are the minutes of the meeting of 2 July 2015 agreed? Agreed. Are there any matters arising from the minutes? Members were circulated yesterday with a briefing note on the non-compliance with procurement rules arising from the Comptroller and Auditor General's audits in 2012 and 2013. We will schedule a meeting with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: We might follow up this correspondence with a letter based on what Deputy Deasy has said.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: We will put that on the agenda for the September meeting because there is a lot in the correspondence, and I certainly want to raise some issues that we raised with them at that time. We will put that on the agenda for our first meeting in early September. No. 3B is individual correspondence. No. 3B.1 is correspondence dated 11 June 2015 from Mr. Ray Skitch re spending of public moneys...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: Can we refer it on to that committee?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: No. 3B.2 is correspondence dated 3 July 2015 from Mr. Hugh Rance re the Comptroller and Auditor General's Special Report No. 89. It is to be noted. This issue will be dealt with as part of today's meeting. No. 3C is documents relating to today’s meeting. Nos. 3C.1 to 3C.4, inclusive, are the briefing documents, all to be noted and published. Nos. 3C.5 and 3C.6 are the opening...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: We might review that when the HEA comes before us in the autumn. On 4.15, financial statements - IDA, it is a clear audit but note 8(e) of the financial statements discloses that non-effective expenditure of €1.28 million was incurred in 2014 on rent and associated costs related to unoccupied office space in two buildings.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: A year. How long will that go on for?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: I do.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (9 Jul 2015)

John McGuinness: We had it at the meeting previously but it has gone on for years. It is a significant loss, and it is an unresolved-----