Results 15,141-15,160 of 19,173 for speaker:Shane Ross

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: The gallery will not seek to recover it.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: He might only go home once.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: In other words, it is cash into his hand if he does not spend it on air tickets. The gallery will not seek to recover it.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: The point I am trying to make is that I am not disputing the travelling backwards and forwards. I think what the gallery is doing is over-generous and we might come back to that. The point I am trying to make is that if he does not have to give back the money that he does not spend on travel then it is an extra salary to him.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: What is it, then?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: Regardless, the gallery will not look for the money back?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: What is the point in having vouched expenses if the vouching has no effect whatsoever, because the money is cash?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: It is a top-up, in effect.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: He can keep the change.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: How has it been working in practice up to now? This has been going on for a year and a half.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: I agree with Dr. Braiden about that. I have not doubt he is well-qualified and a very good choice. However, the Committee of Public Accounts is interested in how the arrangement is working. The board has had 18 months to consider it. How is it working? All we know is that over those 18 months, approximately €15,000 of the spend should have been vouched by now whereas the board has...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: Will Mr. Rainbird tell us whether he is basically keeping to the once-a-week amounts? Could he give us a rough idea of whether this system is working for him on its original terms?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: Will Mr. Rainbird be able to return anything to the State if it is under the amount?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: Is it in the agreement that anything not spent is returned?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: Then the answer is that it is not. I take that to mean the money will not be returned if there is an underspend.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: That is fine. I am afraid from what the witnesses have said that my interpretation is that it is a top-up. I am unsure how much, but there is scope for a top-up. It may or may not happen but if the board is not going to look to get back what is not spent on air fares then it is a top-up. The amount the board paid over to Mr. Rainbird was €40,000 by cheque. Is that what happened?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: That was a tax-free payment for relocation. It was under a relocation heading although the Comptroller and Auditor General has already found that not to be the case. The amount was then raised to €87,000 later. Will Dr. Braiden give us the chronology of what unfolded?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: The gallery need not have done that. Is that the case?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: When did the gallery pay him the €40,000?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 15 - Staff Appointments in the National Gallery of Ireland
Vote 34 - National Gallery of Ireland (21 Nov 2013)

Shane Ross: When did the gallery get the tax advice?