Results 14,921-14,940 of 21,206 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I cited to Mr. Conlan two examples of fairly basic queries that were made, one in relation to a meeting of a board of which he was a long-standing member and the second in respect of his knowledge of a position for which he applied and was the successful candidate. It was very basic stuff, yet Mr. Conlan was not in a position to even answer the questions in a direct way when first asked....

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Reference was made to the minutes of the special meeting in February 2013. Has word been sent out from this committee to whomsoever has possession of those minutes to have them sent over? If we could have them today while we are in session, it would be very helpful.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: We also need the minutes of the meeting.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2012
Section 38 - Agencies Remuneration (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Thank you, Chairman.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: One of the issues raised between the Department of Health and the HSE in regard to the section 38s was contained in the audit report where evidence was given that there had been some form of informal understanding vis-à-vis these top-ups. The Chairman will remember I raised it at the last session. I understood that those who carried out the audit would be in communication with the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank the Chairman.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Redundancy Payments (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 113. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide details of the National Procurement Service provision for ensuring all contractors awarded public projects under their remit have discharged all obligations to employees and former employees when a decision of an industrial relations forum, that is, the EAT, LRC, Labour Court, awards compensation under statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 118. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide in tabular form a list of all professional fees, including but not limited to legal, consultancy, IT-related, advisory, capital, advertising and accountancy fees; the company name and the amount invoiced between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2013, and the same for all agencies under the aegis of his Department....

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: While the documentation is comprehensive, it contains a table that is misleading. What about customer engagement? It states there is €4 million for brand development and customer engagement.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I will come back to that. I accept the Minister and the Secretary General are busy and their sole focus is not Irish Water. However, this is no ordinary development. This is about the establishment of a brand new public utility. For householders across this State, this will mean another tax and bill. It is very politically sensitive. Accordingly, and given its novelty, it would merit...

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Ms Maria Graham helpfully told us earlier the Department had gone to the trouble of querying the organisation as regards flexibility in consultant contracts and establishing a ceiling on payments. The Department claims it went to a very detailed level of scrutiny on the issue of the use of external consultants in Irish Water. Is it the case that in March 2013, the Department had the figure...

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I understand that.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Why?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sure Ms Graham can appreciate my scepticism. With the greatest respect to both ladies, Ms Graham and Ms Tallon, I am highly sceptical about the scenario they have painted of how €50 million was spent on consultants, unless they regard it as micro-management. That is the position the Minister has taken. I believe it stretches all credibility to suggest the Minister had all this...

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I do not believe I am. This meeting is about parliamentary oversight of the spending of public moneys, good governance and democratic accountability. This goes to the very heart of the issue as far as the committee is concerned. Is it correct Irish Water and BGE require ministerial clearance in respect of capital investment?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Mr. John Tierney has claimed the consultancy works are not just reports that will gather dust on a shelf but are the building blocks of the utility, therefore representing assets and capital investment. Is it not the case that in making that investment and acquiring these assets, ministerial consent would have been required, should have been sought and would have been granted?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Bord Gáis equally requires that clearance.

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: So consent ought to have been requested from the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Does that refer to the consultancy costs alone?

Public Accounts Committee: Oversight of Irish Water: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Were Ms Graham or Ms Tallon surprised when they heard the Minister, Deputy Hogan, say he knew nothing about this €50 million? If I were in their shoes, I would have been rather taken aback by that.