Results 18,501-18,520 of 26,579 for speaker:John McGuinness

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (10 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: That should be put into the work programme as soon as possible.

Public Accounts Committee: Payments to Section 39 Companies: (Resumed) Rehab Group (10 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: I welcome the witnesses. Last night we received two letters, one from a solicitor representing Ms Angela Kerins and one from a solicitor representing Mr. Frank Flannery. I can understand why Ms Kerins is not attending today as it is due to ill health, and we wish her a speedy recovery, but the committee takes issue with the other comments in her letter. We have issued a reply to her...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (10 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: Are the minutes of the last meeting agreed? Agreed. Arising from the minutes, NAMA has confirmed that the latest possible time for members to meet its representatives next Tuesday is 11.30 a.m. We can either agree to that or seek another date. It is Tuesday morning.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (10 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: We will get back to it for an alternative date and time as we would like to have as many members as possible there. We want to accommodate Deputy Harris, who is very busy.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (10 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: The next item is correspondence received since the meeting of Thursday, 3 April 2014, beginning with correspondence from Accounting Officers or Ministers. There is correspondence dated 31 March from the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality with follow-up information requested by the Committee of Public Accounts on 13 March 2014. There is correspondence dated 28 March...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Courses Provision (8 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: 221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of places that are allocated to FETAC level 5 students for nursing each year; and the criteria necessary to be allocated a college place to study nursing. [16567/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation Provision (8 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: 657. To ask the Minister for Health if a bed in Dún Laoghaire rehabilitation unit will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [16566/14]

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: Is the Deputy reading from a particular submission?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: We have two submissions. I agree with the Deputy's proposal and it can happen.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: However, in light of what has been said today about procurement and this particular issue, and given the two submissions in question, perhaps Mr. Quinn or his section in the Department would examine both submissions and revert to the committee. We will hear from the group to which the Deputy refers and the response to the issues that are raised in the two reports. That might involve another...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: I thank Mr. Quinn. We have come to the conclusion of the meeting. I thank the witnesses for attending. Is it agreed to dispose of Votes 11 and 12 and chapters 3 and 5 of the 2012 annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and appropriation accounts? Agreed. We will hold over chapter 4 for further examination. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: The reason I ask the question is because in some of these cases there are a number of different funding bodies or agencies. We cannot sit them all down together and get the appropriate response, because in some cases they are looking for more money. What I am asking Mr. Watt to do is just that.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: I have one more question relating to section 38 and section 39 organisations. Was there no mechanism within the HSE to monitor all of this as it progressed over the years? We have now arrived at a situation where in regard to section 38 organisations, a considerable number of business cases have been made to the HSE to allow the organisations in question retain the arrangement they have....

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: That explanation is fine. How long will that process take?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: They are not being shared either.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: Is it not the case that Mr. Watt is responsible for talking to these Accounting Officers about the problems within the system?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: Does Mr. Watt not have a responsibility in that regard? Would he not raise the matter with the Accounting Officer by saying "I heard you at the Public Accounts Committee - you are costing the State a lot of money" and asking him what he is doing about it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: Okay. Can I have a note on the matter?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: The State spent almost €10 million on the Tipperary Hostel project. Various Government bodies gave money to the hostel, which is a partially completed building in Tipperary. I would like to know, on foot of what has happened in this case, how we can protect the money that has already been spent on the project. It has not been completed. It has cost the amount of money I have...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 11 - Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances
Chapter 3 - Financial Commitments under Public Private Partnerships
Chapter 4 - Vote Accounting
Chapter 5 - Vote Budget Management (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: We put €10 million into the building. It has been the subject of a hearing, or some comments, here. I am suggesting that someone in a government or administration role in the Department, which is responsible for overseeing the other Departments, might ask the various Departments that have funded this project what they intend to do about it.