Results 14,241-14,260 of 21,206 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Has Mr. Frank Flannery damaged Rehab?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Would any of Mr. Kerr's colleagues like to give a more direct answer to those questions? What about Mr. Doyle?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: With respect, it is a completely inadequate response. We were promised transparency and it was stated that Rehab would deal candidly with any matters raised.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: But I presume for the flagship endeavours such as the Five Peaks Challenge-----

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: What about the People of the Year event? I assume that a pot of money from the charitable donation finds it way into the group.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Could Mr. Poole provide a figure for that as soon as he can? Would those moneys also pay in part for the salaries of the group staff?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: It goes into the pot. In the pot of group money there is a mixture or blend of taxpayers’ money, charitable donations that come though the foundation, and I presume proceeds from Rehab’s commercial activities.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Could we have ratios for how the money is divided?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is okay, but could Mr. Poole work them out for us? It seems to me that Mr. Poole has confirmed that taxpayers’ money goes to the group and the group in turn pays the salaries, which he will be aware from public reaction the average reasonable person believes to be excessive. That is not news to Mr. Poole. He is aware of that. In addition to money from the taxpayer, there is...

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: But one has no option but to look at the pool of money in terms of how one manages one’s financial affairs.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Mr. Poole agrees with me.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I have that. Does Mr. Poole agree with me that it is inaccurate or that an argument cannot be sustained by someone employed by the Rehab Group – I refer to the CEO – to the effect that she is not paid by the taxpayer and that her salary is purely financed by moneys from commercial effort? Does Mr. Poole agree that is simply not an accurate statement?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am not asking for her interpretation. I am asking Mr. Poole for a statement of fact and for his view.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Could we have the ratios of the amounts?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I will leave it at that for the moment but I might come back in.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Are any of the delegates aware of it?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Was Mr. Poole aware that he is the person who registered the domain name irelandfirst.ieon behalf of the Rehab Group?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Was the board aware of it?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: However, it did happen. I am not casting any aspersions on the motivations of those associated with irelandfirst.ie; I am sure they are entirely honourable. However, is it appropriate for the Rehab Group name to be associated with that group and its IT manager, Mr. Younger, to be taking the time and trouble to register the domain name?

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I put it to Mr. Kerr that the board absolutely should have known about it. I am conscious that I might be introducing new information of which the witnesses clearly were not aware. I am asking them to investigate this matter and give a report to the committee as to how it came to be.