Results 1,521-1,540 of 26,399 for speaker:John McGuinness

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: I am cutting across the Minister, but we all accept that and it was a big loss. Apart from the money involved, the commitments given and the report, who caused that loss? This is what I think is the big question here. If this process had all been handled differently and correctly, we might not be here at all discussing Tony Holohan and this position and secondment. I suggest to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: I think that Tony Holohan was a loss to the State, but the State itself, through the Department of Health, has a lot to answer for here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: That is what happened.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: I have some more questions but we are all interested in what the Minister was going to say to Deputy Durkan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: Deputy Durkan, Deputy Tóibín did not disturb -----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: Will Deputy Tóibín continue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: Deputy Durkan is wanted in the Dáil Chamber.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: I hear them calling him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: I ask for clarification on two issues. One relates to a question asked by Deputy Doherty about the computer hacking and being out of reach for five days. Mr. Wright, I think, was going to give a response at one stage to Deputy Doherty. I would like to hear that response and to know if that particular hacking incident was reported to the cybersecurity agency.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: Okay. I think when he was here the Secretary General said he would give us a copy of the email he was attempting to send and we are waiting for that. On the Minister's comments, he mentioned that the Civil Service and the public service must make decisions at the various levels within both organisations and I accept that. Those who are making decisions are being paid accordingly. If a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: Yes. I am very concerned now about statements about 1,600 claims amounting to €670 million, with the Department putting a value of €12 million on them. I can see a major row here with a heavyweight like BAM Ireland . That is taxpayers' money. There are these layers in between, with the board and the different oversight groups that are there. I do not know who has the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: But not through the committees. That is my point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: I do not expect the Civil Service or public service to be perfect. I accept that risks will have to be taken to achieve something and that if something goes wrong, we as public representatives have to understand that but when we are not being told and when what happened is being hidden from clear sight, that is what annoys people. My background is business and I have no doubt I made many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: I go back to the point of good men like Brendan Lenihan and the others who resigned, with their statements having been made afterwards. That does not do the system any good. It raises questions and I would very much love to see Ministers acknowledging the good that some people do and the reasons they left. There is also this thing about the learnings, and God bless everyone with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: The Minister should be allowed to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: The Minister should be allowed to answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: We have to conclude. We have been here for two and a half hours.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: As some of these questions have already been put and answered in a way, I suggest that perhaps the Minister might take the questions that have been asked by Deputy Doherty and gives us a written response. That is the only way we are going to resolve this today. We have been here for two and a half hours and I am obliged to take a break, which all participants know, or conclude the meeting....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: The Minister might just conclude and please provide the information.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Sector Secondment: Minister for Health (22 Jun 2023)

John McGuinness: In conclusion to all of this, if the board or anyone else associated with this project, because they have been named here, wants to come before the committee and give further explanations, then the invitation is there for them to come, be it the company, be it the different agencies that we spoke about or whoever has been named.