Results 201-220 of 7,777 for speaker:Joe Costello

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: The Department of Finance will not do it but the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform might. It is responsible for reform and this would be a reform.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: On those NAMA properties, the language is somewhat opaque in a reply given to Deputy Broughan. In terms of the explanation given that the properties were unsuitable, there is a suggestion that not only were they unsuitable, but that they were unavailable. We need some further clarification because NAMA told us a number of weeks ago that 6,500 units of accommodation were made available to...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Some 4,048 were----

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: There were initially 6,574 units identified.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee. (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: They are a non-governmental organisation that has been campaigning on the issue for a considerable period. I think we should welcome them in if we can manage it.

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: The witnesses are all very welcome again. Many of the issues have been dealt with pretty thoroughly, but it is still a very bleak picture that a debt of €21 million was incurred in respect of the Limerick Greyhound Stadium project and that there were net borrowing levels of between €10 million and €11 million from 2006 to 2008, which are now double that sum. Revenue has...

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: The entire trend so far has been downwards. There has been a very sharp decline.

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: In respect of those three cases, Deputy Fleming asked whether they were in the six-figure bracket. Can Mr. Murnane give me a closer estimation? Is it in excess of €1 million and less than €2 million?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: I know the legal advice. I am talking about a ballpark figure.

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: It is in excess of €1 million.

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: A six-figure sum that is less than €1 million. Is that for the three cases?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Are there any other cases in the pipeline?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Are these cases related to non-compliance or to issues involving inadequate supervision or drug testing?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Why does Bord na gCon have so many cases? Is there a tradition of court cases in respect of the operation of Bord na gCon and its activities? Has there been a constant draw from the board’s funding in respect of these matters or is this a once-off event? It is finalising three cases and there are two in the pipeline. What is the picture looking back?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Has Bord na gCon been bedevilled with court cases in the past?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Any extra money provided by the State could be eaten away by settlements, court cases and compensation where the board is found to be liable and money has to be paid out. That is the danger of which this committee must take cognisance. For example, in the report there is an indication that no drug testing is taking place off track. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: It is done at sale point but not other than that. That is just the sale of the animal but during the course of the training and the operation there is no drug testing, is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Am I right that an animal can be purchased at a sale and there is absolutely no testing until that animal runs in the stadium?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: Is that not a huge gap in doping testing, the total absence in the training process before it appears in the stadium?

Public Accounts Committee: Bord na gCon Financial Statements 2014 (26 Nov 2015)

Joe Costello: What is the timescale for that? Is this being done for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the Minister to provide a statutory instrument?