Results 521-540 of 1,049,275 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Joan Collins OR speaker:Brian Stanley OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:Paul McAuliffe) in 'Committee meetings'

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: If the tents move again, will the fencing extend to 4 or 5 km?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Okay. We will come back to this matter during the meeting. The first committee member to speak this morning is Deputy James O'Connor. He has 15 minutes.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: I thank the Deputy. Deputy Ó Cathasaigh has ten minutes.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: I will let you back in during the second round. I call Deputy McAuliffe.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: There a number of issues I want to address, but I have to explore the concept of not having a board. I do not have much experience of an organisation that does not have a board. How does that work in terms of governance and oversight of the CEO? I am not suggesting that there is anything wrong, but I am just inquisitive.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: If a disciplinary procedure were to arise with the CEO who would deal with that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Would they deal with that directly?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Regarding the issues of holidays, performance and approval, who does all of that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: So the oversight is directly with the North-South Ministerial Council-----

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: We are likely to get into the day-to-day details of particular issues of employment, etc., that a board would often deal with in regard to a CEO. Issues regularly arise here there are very small details but can have very serious implications for the organisation. The concept of developing a board going forward is an issue that we need to keep an eye on. Perhaps recommendations from this...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: It is an EU funding body.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Could I get a quick comment from the Department on that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Would it be fair to say that unlike other agencies the Department might deal with, there is an additional responsibility on the Department to be involved in the day-to-day operational issues and have more oversight than it might have with other agencies it deals with?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Yes, but every organisation needs an oversight structure for its CEO. I just do not believe the current arrangements that have been outlined are satisfactory. I want to return to the issue of the Grand Canal and the encampments. Ultimately, it is an amenity for the city. I represent an area where there is often antisocial behaviour in different forms, for example, playgrounds might be...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: I have heard them, but there should not be four options. There should just be one, which is to maintain the amenity.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: I want to be careful about the tone of what I am saying because I do not want to escalate this, but this is not the first time Waterways Ireland has removed tents from a canal. It does that on a regular basis. Am I right in saying that?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: I am aware of the incident in 2020 on the Royal Canal which involved the removal of a tent and the injury of a man. This is something Waterways Ireland does on a regular basis. My point is that the amenity has to be reopened. That is the objective. Not reopening the amenity is not an option. It is not as if there are four options. There is only one option and that is to reopen the...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Okay, with that in mind, has a timeline been set for when this will be done?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Does Mr. Rowe believe that if there had been preventative security there, those numbers would have been allowed to build up?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Okay. If security is the long-term objective and it also would have prevented the issue arising, surely security is now the option.