Results 1,701-1,720 of 2,964 for speaker:James O'Connor

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Chapter 13 - Guardian Ad Litem Follow-up Report (27 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: That is unacceptable. The witnesses when coming before the committee can surely show enough respect for us to answer that question. What is the maximum rate per night that the Department is paying at the moment?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Chapter 13 - Guardian Ad Litem Follow-up Report (27 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: Can the witnesses give me a high estimate?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Chapter 13 - Guardian Ad Litem Follow-up Report (27 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: Go raibh maith agat.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: I wish to ask the Taoiseach about CERN. I raised the matter with the Taoiseach a number of weeks ago on what is the Government's position on joining the international research programme. As the Taoiseach may be aware, 23 member states across Europe are members of this organisation, with Ireland being the exception in terms of membership in western Europe. Will the Government give some...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (26 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: 72. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will address the matters raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53661/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: 121. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department plans on publishing a green energy plan for renewable energy generation on farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53253/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (25 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: 123. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding information relating to gas security for dairy processors in view of record gas shortages in the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53254/22]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: I wish to ask the Minister about the national development plan. We recently saw a major project effectively being delayed or shelved in Galway with the announcement on the ring road. Is the overall plan worth €165 billion in capital spending at significant risk due to new climate targets and what happened with An Bord Pleanála? As Senator Crowe asked, is green the new red tape?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: I welcome the Department. First and foremost, I want to ask about the public spending code relating to major public capital projects being undertaken, including the one that is relevant here today. Has that ever been used to stop a project from happening?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: I do not disagree with anything Mr. Moloney said. I raise this with him because when undertaking a major capital project, I believe a threshold of €100 million applies to public spending code analysis. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: Is anyone present in a position to clarify that? I understand it is €100 million.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: Would the Department accept the criticism that the public spending code is an instrument of delay when it comes to capital projects?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has a key role and it is probably one of the first Departments that has to give sign-off on any project going ahead and, of course, funding it is its responsibility. Is the Department concerned about the pace at which capital projects are developed and funded by the State? Is there any cause for concern at the moment?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: On a more domestic level, it is important that we get an understanding from the Department's point of view, as the holder of the purse, on the spending of taxpayers’ money. Is the Department concerned about the pace of development at the moment in fulfilling what is contained in the NDP? I will give an example. Given what happened with the Galway ring road this week, does Mr....

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: I want to broaden the point that I am trying to make and I will try to get Mr. Moloney's reaction to that. Investors from abroad look at Ireland at the moment and they express concern about the pace at which we can develop our infrastructure. The NDP is under the auspices of the Department. I cannot see how those projects are going to be developed within a respectable timeframe, as has...

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: As a consequence of what happened in Galway, is the Department going to analyse all of the road projects contained within the NDP expenditure plan to see what the ramifications of that decision will be for those projects?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: I am asking the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: Is the Department concerned about it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: That decision threatens the entire NDP in regard to road projects. I want to get an insight from the Department, which is funding all of those projects, as to what its take on it is.

Public Accounts Committee: 2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 3 - Vote Accounting and Budget Management
Chapter 4 - Reallocation of Voted Funding (20 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: That is not very reassuring.