Results 15,701-15,720 of 26,579 for speaker:John McGuinness

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: In relation to Departments that appear before us which do not have certain information at the time that say they will send it in, is there any way Mr. Watt can write to the Secretaries General to say that when they say that at the Committee of Public Accounts, they have a certain number of days to send back the information? Some Departments do not get back to us. The second question on...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: Yes, the Department did, but this was in relation to final special reports that are given to Ministers where they can take up to three months to lay them before the House and therefore we cannot deal with them.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: Yes, they have already been submitted to the Ministers.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: Mr. Watt might ask the Departments to streamline their processes along the lines in operation in his Department.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: The final question relates to education. Again, I ask this because Mr. Watt’s officials are present at the meetings. The Higher Education Authority was before us to discuss universities and institutes of technology. Mr. McCarthy’s report dealt with the audit committees in various places. What we heard that day about how the Department oversees the spend in third level...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: I will ask the clerk to send Mr. Watt copies of the-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: One whistleblower sent three different reports. I raised this matter with Mr. Watt the last time he appeared before us. We will send him copies of the reports in order that he can see what we are dealing with in terms of the HEA. Speaking of whistleblowers, while I appreciate that the legislation was passed, in cases where people decide to come forward - I view them as concerned citizens...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: I should say that Sergeant Maurice McCabe has already written to the Minister to complain about how he has been treated after doing the State considerable service by coming forward with his information. Some whistleblowers' descriptions of how they have been treated are revolting.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: It has not worked.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: What will happen in the meantime to those who have been treated in this way?

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: No, the way they are being treated is happening now.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: It is not working for the people whom I have met.

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: I have given it a chance. The committee has held hearings and I am dealing with issues that are happening right now in the HSE, the Garda Síochána and an agency that is delivering services on behalf of the Department of Health. It is shocking. Sometimes, bodies pay no attention to the regulations on procurement. They are not impressed by the legislation. They have cultures and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2013 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 18 - Shared Services
Special Report No. 87 - Effectiveness of Audit Committees in State Bodies
Issues with Public Procurement (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: That ends our hearing for today. I thank the witnesses for attending.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (5 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: 253. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to relax some of the building regulations relative to once-off houses in particular; his views that the associated costs relative to once-off houses are excessive and are part of the reason for the slow uptake in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9701/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (3 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: 179. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a carer's allowance will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [9381/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Heritage Sites (3 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: 228. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the lease in place between the Office of Public Works and the Arts for Peace Foundation relative to Durrow Abbey, County Offaly; the amount charged by the State, each year; if €250,000 has been sanctioned as a grant to restore parts of Durrow Abbey; if so, the amount that has been drawn down, and the work concerned; the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (3 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: 229. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Office of Public Works has inspected the works carried out at Killaan, Woodlawn, Ballinasloe, County Galway, to determine if they are in line with what was committed to in the funding of €15,000; if, arising from these works, the office can confirm that the original issue of flooding at this location has been resolved;...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Personnel (3 Mar 2015)

John McGuinness: 300. To ask the Minister for Defence the progress made in relation to the pay and conditions for contract soldiers; if the term of service will be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9063/15]

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (26 Feb 2015)

John McGuinness: We will get to it in correspondence. No. 3A is correspondence from Accounting Officers and-or Ministers. No. 3A.1 is correspondence from Tom Boland, chief executive officer, Higher Education Authority, HEA. It is a follow-up letter from our meeting on 22 January. This is to be noted and published. We will be returning to a number of issues relating to the HEA and there is a number of...