Results 17,841-17,860 of 21,260 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Report of the Expert Group on the Judgment in the A, B and C v. Ireland Case: Statements (Resumed) (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: On several occasions attempts were made to overturn the decision in the X case, both of which failed. We can all analyse why this happened but the people spoke. It is now abundantly clear that we need to act and to legislate. We need primary legislation and we will also require regulation. Savita Halappanavar has, not surprisingly, been mentioned in the Chamber. The distressing element...

Report of the Expert Group on the Judgment in the A, B and C v. Ireland Case: Statements (Resumed) (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am conscious that after a 20 year delay, we have had a flurry of debates on this matter in the Dáil over the past number of weeks. The extent of the debate serves to highlight the extent of the delay which ran to two decades and the disrepute in which it places this Oireachtas. Many speakers have spoken about the sensitivity on the issue of abortion and I would not disagree with...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: What was the capital figure?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am conscious of time. It would be very useful if all members could have that information circulated to them. Is the Cork treatment plant the one situated on the Lee Road?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: That was locked in a dead heat according to the Department. There was much of a muchness yet it went the PPP route.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Please explain to me how the decision was taken for that to be commissioned, constructed and operated through the PPP model.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: They were not investing in finance.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I do not follow. Can I offer Ms Tallon some information on this particular case?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is correct. However, I have heard from elected members of the local authority at the time that an instruction was given that it was to be done via PPP. If not, the money would be not forthcoming. I accept that is hearsay but that is what I was told. I would appreciate if Ms Tallon would investigate this particular case and come back to the committee with a concrete rationale as to...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Does Ms Tallon know what profit is generated by the six plants operated by Veolia?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Why not?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank Ms Tallon for that information, but why would she not have that information on profit?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I understand all of that. Ms Tallon is saying a lot of interesting things that are tangential, but I am troubled nonetheless. She says these decisions are made on a whole life model and the basis of value for money, which is as it should be. However, now she tells us that the revenue generated from these contracts is not known to her and, therefore, not quantified by her or her Department...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Certainly.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I appreciate that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I thank Mr. McCarthy. I have a clear sense of the cost side of the equation, but my question is on the return side. I appreciate that where private finance is involved, there is cause to strike a balance in terms of risk. I do not accept, however, that is the same when the State is providing the finance for projects. If there is a risk, it is of a much more minimal effect. I have made...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will Ms Tallon quickly run through the other projects and give us the same statistic for each of them?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Does Ms Tallon have figures for the others?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: I have that and I thank Ms Tallon. In its value for money model, does the Department calculate revenue forgone? For example, Veolia obviously is not doing this for the good of its health. It becomes involved in such a contract because it is a generator of revenue, which is absolutely legitimate from its perspective. Does the Department factor in the aforementioned revenue forgone to the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 16 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (6 Dec 2012)

Mary Lou McDonald: Accepting that-----