Results 18,701-18,720 of 26,430 for speaker:David Cullinane

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: Was it that Mr. McCarthy was not made aware of it?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: That is very serious. If that is the case, then there was an internal audit of which the Comptroller and Auditor General was not made aware.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: Okay.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: Given that the Comptroller and Auditor General has now read the internal audit report and in light of the fact that it is obviously very serious that it indicates that assurances cannot be given that problem management and controls processes were in place, what does that mean for the Comptroller and Auditor General's work? Does it mean that will then form part of a more in-depth look at the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: That is it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: I thank the Deputy. It is important, in the first instance, that we do not allow issues like this to become a sideshow or act as a distraction because this very much mirrors what happened when NAMA first came before the Committee of Public Accounts to deal with the committee's examination of Project Eagle. At the time there were unprecedented attacks on the Office of the Comptroller and...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: We put an awful lot of personal work into this matter and not for personal gain. We just did our job, without fear or favour. We have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the Committee of Public Accounts. As I said yesterday and will say again, I was not a member of the previous Committee of Public Accounts. There seems to be a particular political slant on this committee during...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: We have just had an example of the interruptions. They happened a couple of times when Teachta Connolly spoke. Every time that we raise issues that are directed at the Minister or a Government representative, the Government representatives on the committee interrupt us. That makes it difficult for us to do our job. I do not interrupt Teachta Madigan when she makes her point nor does...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: I identified this pattern yesterday and it needs to be dealt with by the Chairman, with respect. Why the constant interruptions when we make points? A fair procedure would be to put one's hand up, wait until the person makes his or her point and if one disagrees with the person, then one can come back in. The constant interruptions are a source of irritation for those of us who simply want...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: I accept in the first instance that the Chairman used his judgment on all these issues and his intentions were honourable in how he dealt with all of the threats, I suppose, made against him personally as chair of the committee. He is right that it is par for the course in terms of the role he sits in, and that this will happen from time to time. However, to be fair to members of this...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: Yes, but it is no value to me or anyone else on this committee because it was the committee that was attacked and Deputy Fleming is our Chairman. As the comments were made in the Dáil Chamber, they need to be corrected there. I agree with Deputy MacSharry, we need the Minister – if he did offer an apology – to offer it in public at the next available opportunity, not just...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: I have two issues. As I have ten minutes, I will spend five minutes on the first one and five on the second. The Chairman might give me a heads up when the first five minutes is up.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: I welcome all our witnesses. I will pick up on the spin-out issue. How many spin-out companies are there in UCC?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: Over the past seven or eight years, were any spin-out companies sold?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: How much was it sold for?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: Did the institute have a shareholding?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: Does the institute have a shareholding in the other four companies that are present at the moment?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: What is the average percentage holding in such companies?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: That would be standard across most universities and institutes.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
UCC: Financial Statements 2013-2014 (30 Mar 2017)

David Cullinane: The nature of spin-out companies is such that staff or researchers could also potentially be directors and shareholders. Is that common or uncommon?