Results 15,761-15,780 of 21,255 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (8 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: You are already driving them out.

Other Questions: Cross-Border Educational Provision (8 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to encourage cross-border studying. [42205/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (8 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 119. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce legislation to compel schools to introduce generic uniforms that would reduce costs for parents. [42204/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Prison Staff (8 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the recent appointment of a head teacher to Shelton Abbey open prison in Arklow was preceded by an open competition; the number of applicants that applied for the position and the body that had overall responsibility for the appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41791/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (8 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 520. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a child (details supplied) has been refused renewal of their medical card. [41812/13]

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Mr. Watt stated the terms of the new circular marked an improvement. What I am hearing is that notwithstanding that revision, the criteria remain pitched too high for many small quality established operators. Is there a willingness on the part of the Department to listen to and, crucially, act on the experiences of these small operators? For instance, is Mr. Watt willing to meet some of them?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would like to clarify that this is not about me seeking to position any particular-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: This is about the pitching of criteria in a manner which, in real terms, facilitates those entities to get on the first rung and make their pitch. Thereafter, it is, of course, a matter for the tendering process.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Okay. I endeavoured to raise the following issue directly with Mr. Paul Quinn whose efforts to contact me I acknowledge. Perhaps he might comment on the issue of savings on professional services. I understand a possible saving of €100 million in this area has been mooted. I would welcome some detail in that regard. On public private partnerships, in particular in the water...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Perhaps I might get a response to my question on PPPs.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: It will be available in the coming weeks.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would appreciate it. So we are absolutely clear, my understanding is the transfer of undertakings regulations will apply to these staff as and when a new operator, whoever that might be, comes into place.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The difficulty with this is it does not address a fairly basic issue for those members of staff who were An Post employees and have their contract of employment with An Post. They were seconded, and my understanding is - and I would appreciate Mr. Watt clarifying this matter - no provision has been made for those employees who might wish to return to an Post to do so.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I understand these matters will not be put to ballot. Perhaps this is not a question Mr. Watt can answer or a matter he can decide. It seems extremely dubious that staff who were seconded and were employees of An Post would not be granted a facility to return to An Post, their employer of origin, if they so wish. It is a source of deep concern for the employees. They are angry about it...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would appreciate it.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would appreciate it. I expect the Department would have a view on the legal position and the legal status of these employees.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: This is not with regard to all of the employees of the National Lottery Company, but to a section of them who were and are contracted to An Post. Bord Gáis Energy was mentioned and Mr. Watt indicated the end of year in respect of the sale of this asset. I want to ask the same question about the staff in Bord Gáis Energy. What level of consultation, if any, has there been between...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I wish to make an observation. I am sure Mr. Watt is aware I disagree fundamentally with Government policy on the lottery and Bord Gáis Energy. However, given the decision has been made I suggest the last thing the Department needs is industrial relations turbulence in these entities. I recommend the Department does not take a laissez-faire approach in respect of these matters....

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I wish to ask about procurement. I will be parochial and state the Grangegorman project, which is in the heart of the inner-city in my constituency, offered a real promise to allow local businesses and small and medium enterprises to tender, bid for and obtain work in this complex and large project. The feedback I have, notwithstanding circular 10/10 to which Mr. Watt referred, is that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 7 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Vote 42 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 12 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 13 - Procurement without a Competitive Process (3 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: None of this is disputed. The issue is the-----