Results 18,541-18,560 of 26,579 for speaker:John McGuinness

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 understand that. I have to deal with the issue that is before me, namely, the lease on Carrisbrook House. Most of that building is vacant and is costing the State a considerable amount of money. Does Mr. Watt engage with the Department to find out how best to deal with this issue?

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 raised it. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the Department with responsibility for cutting numbers and creating greater efficiencies. Is there an unit in the Department that will deal with thorny issues, such as this vacant building costing the State a great deal of money? Is Mr. Watt interested in asking the Accounting Officer what he or she 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: How did that conversation go in relation to Carrisbrook House?

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: Will Mr. Watt get them and let us know?

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 had a hearing on the issue of Carrisbrook House and the Comptroller and Auditor General has reported on 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: Is it not all about governance? If proper governance and proper procurement practice were in place, some of the serious questions which have come up at the Committee of Public Accounts in the recent past may not have come up at all. I do not expect Mr. Watt to comment on the specifics I have raised but I am asking him to comment on the message he is delivering and how it is being heard....

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 Mr. Watt satisfied that the governance required across the board, through Departments and agencies and into third level institutions, is being adhered to? Is he satisfied that the message he is sending, in terms of governance, accountability and saving money, is actually being listened to by all and sundry within the service? That is a pretty straightforward question. I do not accept he...

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: Deputy O'Donnell is next but he will be annoyed because I want to ask a question arising from what Deputies Deasy and Connaughton went into. I have listened to Mr. Quinn's description of the procurement process and to Mr. Watt who spoke about improvements and so on. Have I missed something? I think that we live in two different zones. I shall put the matter to Mr. Quinn first. When did...

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: His section or whoever.

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 shall cut to the chase. The reason I asked him the question is that on 2 April it produced a document which it gave to each member of the Committee of Public Accounts. I have listened to what he had to say and was left with the impression that everything is hunky dory but there is room for change. As Mr. Watt always says, the section is moving on in a positive direction. The delegation...

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 will give the Department a copy and then it can give us a response.

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. Watt. Can we publish his statement?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: It should be made clear that no one has indicated that they are not attending. I ask that the witnesses be brought into the room.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: Will we keep it for 24 May?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: There were others. I agree with that.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: Yes. It is a matter of how we schedule them into the meeting.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: We are going to do it. We will ask for the details on that matter.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: It is on the list here.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Apr 2014)

John McGuinness: We will do 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: Before we begin I remind witnesses, members and those in the Gallery to turn off their mobile telephones because they interfere with the sound quality and transmission of the meeting. I advise witnesses that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular...