Results 15,941-15,960 of 21,499 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: In the social welfare area, the Government has also made cuts to invalidity pensions.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sure the Taoiseach has read the budget book in the same way as I did.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: He is standing over the cuts.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am sure the Taoiseach realises that cuts to the invalidity pension for those under 65 and those over 65 with qualified adult dependants will range from between €3,500 and €5,500. That is a huge wallop for those families. There is a refrain in the cuts to maternity benefit rates. First, the Government taxed maternity benefit and then it cut it. It is clear the Government's...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Budget Statement 2014 (15 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Today, citizens throughout this State needed to hear a message of hope. The elderly, the unemployed, families in mortgage distress and households struggling to survive needed to see actions that would inspire confidence. The Taoiseach needed to take decisions that would give some relief to families and workers who have been battered by the austerity budgets during his time in government....

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is not a very satisfactory response.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Who would have taken the decision not to go to tender?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: By whom was the decision made?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: These matters were apparently sidelined and not included in the bill of claims because there was no personal gain involved.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is very impressive. Will Dr. Neavyn tell us about Bracken Public Relations Limited?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Where is it based?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am simply choosing this company as an example. Given that there was no tendering, was there a particular reason for availing of its services?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is a great pity Dr. Neavyn cannot provide more insight in this regard. For anybody reviewing the figures the individual payments to PR companies of €37,000, €13,000 and so on are, on one level, quite modest. However, when one sees that tenders were not entered into and procedures were not followed, there is a question mark as to why that was the case. Was there, for...

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I would have thought Dr. Neavyn would be more persistent in his questioning around these issues in order to be satisfied as to whether anything untoward was at play. I am disappointed that he cannot give an answer on that point.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: To be clear, I am not using this committee to insinuate anything untoward here. However, we would expect a better answer than simply saying there was no tender because there was no tender. These decisions were apparently made by somebody in the president's office.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Dr. Neavyn has set out the new dispensation and the new regime. I am asking a different question. I am asking about the accountability of the individuals who were involved - some of whom were in very senior positions - when all of this unfolded. Where is the strand of accountability in respect of those individuals? That is my question.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am asking, for instance, about the former president.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is fine in theory. In practice, we now know, to our cost, that this did not happen or certainly there were significant issues. I note the spending from the office of the former president, which is fairly hair-raising for anyone looking at the list of expenditure.

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The list shows fine art, taxi charges and fine travel, for example. What are the consequences for that individual?

Public Accounts Committee: Special Report No. 78 of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Matters Arising out of Education Audits (Resumed) (10 Oct 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yes.