Results 14,761-14,780 of 26,825 for speaker:John McGuinness
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: Did they have an idea in their heads of just how much scaling up was necessary when they were dealing with Dublin VEC? Did they realise in their selection process that they needed someone to be able to scale up to a completely different level, perhaps with outside expertise, and in a short period of time?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: If they stepped out of line, the Department would have called them back into line pretty quickly.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: The Department had the ability to do that.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: We will go to the insider being interviewed by the insider. What was Dublin VEC's business plan? What did it envision happening? Did Ms Stewart realise when she went into the interview that she was looking at a process that was way beyond the numbers Dublin VEC was dealing with and was she satisfied in that interview that it could do that job?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: I know what was to happen. I am asking Ms Stewart what she thought she could do in front of that interview board relative to the job at hand. Had she the information in her head as to what might be the figures and what might have been asked of her in terms of that job?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: The Dublin VEC was interested and it was confident at that stage that it had all the wherewithal.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: That is fine. That is important for the interview.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: He is a public servant all his life, nearly, and he retired from the public service.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: I am just making a clarification as well. He is an insider, as are the other two. Ms Stewart's organisation convinced the panel and got the job. What happened then? Did the Department have to sanction or give permission-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: No, in terms of the appointment first of all. Did Mr. Ó Foghlú have to satisfy himself in regard to this appointment that the panel was right and that Dublin VEC had what was necessary to do the job?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: Therefore, it was the panel's fault.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: The Department made the decision, based on the panel, and appointed the VEC. In taking that step, did the Department rely solely on the panel, or did Mr. Ó Foghlú decide to do further investigation, check the references and make sure it was okay?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: I suggest that what happened afterwards would show that further investigation was needed. In Ms Stewart's opening remarks, she said that 2011-12 was characterised by a series of delays and so on. It was part of what she said. Frankly, it was chaotic. I dealt with it on the other end, as did other public representatives. I know how the students and the parents felt. I cannot get my head...
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: Outsourcing cost €3.6 million in the first year.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: In the second year, which partially refers to the first year, the cost was €5.5 million. The cost is now down to €3.6 million. Did the overpayment to students amount to €3.5 million?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: It was €4.1 million. One can add that €4.1 million to the costs of outsourcing because the cost was incurred during that period. What were the other costs? We are only dealing with outsourcing now.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: The outsourced services cost €3.6 million that year. What were the pay costs?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: No, 2012.
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: What other costs were incurred?
- Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 88 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Restructuring the Administration of Student Grants (11 Jun 2015)
John McGuinness: How did the costs compare to the following year?