Results 141-160 of 4,810 for speaker:Liam Twomey

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: I note Ms McGrath added a proviso that we must also consider what the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform would say, but Ms McGrath is happy enough with that guidance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: Good. I am not having a go at the OPW by any means in making this point, rather it is very much about what we are seeing as relevant from the committee's point of view. In a recent OECD study this Parliament ranked the lowest for holding Government Departments to account. We would like to see changes come about in the next few years in our role as to how we interact with Departments on how...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: We are in the very early days of this process, but that is where it is going and that is where we hope to take it. I will open the discussion to members and start by calling Deputy Sean Fleming.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: Some of the things the Senator is referring to are more policy-oriented.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: I ask that we stick to the issue of the running performance indicators. This stuff is interesting also, but we are trying to keep the meeting to the subject of performance indicators.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: I propose we suspend as there is a vote in the Dáil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: I support this process because it is good for all of the relevant organisations and the Oireachtas to understand what is really happening. One of the grocery multiples in this country builds all its new outlets to the same size and configuration. In that way, it knows what to expect in terms of heating, maintenance and staffing costs. It can compare outlets in different countries, whether...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: In terms of what we are discussing, is it a resource problem or is it a question of resistance from Departments? Does the OPW need more resources and staff?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: To do everything.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: I will not hold Ms McGrath up but if any members have further questions, please indicate now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (30 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: Does the Deputy mind if I wrap up the meeting? There is a vote taking place in the Dáil. I thank Ms Clare McGrath and her officials for their input today and the level of commitment they have shown to improving the quality and type of information given to the committee as part of the business process. While we appreciate there is a huge effort to make the changes requested, it will...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: The Deputy has no credibility on this issue.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: The Deputy's party broke-----

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: And who has been in the Dáil since 2002 and has seen what Fianna Fáil did to the country.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: The health service has been and always will be made up of urgent issues waiting for the next emergency. Deputy Kelleher and his party, who collapsed the economy of this country, did nothing to help to improve that situation. If there is one thing that the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, should be given credit for it is that he is starting to change the mindset within the health...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: It does not work quite as well as the Deputy thinks. I know that it was a former Minister for Health, Mary Harney, who introduced the NTPF and while it works up to a point, it does not quite work in the way that is needed. The Minister has introduced a number of changes into the community health care sector, most notably the community health care organisations. Under this system, each...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: No, actually, it happened under Fianna Fáil's watch.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: Fianna Fáil, when it set up the HSE and its structures, institutionalised a form of management within the HSE under which people are afraid to explain why they make the decisions they make. This is now changing.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Sep 2015)

Liam Twomey: Thank you. I could not quite hear with all of the interruptions.