Results 721-740 of 1,052,523 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh OR speaker:John McGuinness) in 'Committee meetings'

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

John McGuinness: As the Minister is not here to defend himself, we may have to ask him to come in to do so, if he wishes

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

John McGuinness: Deputy Tóibín is straying away from the bicycle shed in the short time that he has.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: As was said earlier, Deputy Doherty asked for the full documentation to be furnished to the committee. It was the expectation of all committee members that all relevant documentation would be submitted. We look forward to hearing about it. It is very disturbing that Mr. Conlon cannot say this was a waste of money. We have to remember this is taxpayers' money, and when I say taxpayers, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: That is the end of the process. Was it at the stage of being closed in November 2021?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: There were no further bids after November 2021?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I am not suggesting anything different. I just want to get the timings right. The timings are very important in this. Mr. Conlon said earlier that he would re-scope the project if it were to come to his desk now. How many projects under €1 million have been re-scoped in the past because the project that was being presented was not deemed by the OPW to give value for money?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I appreciate Mr. Conlon might not have the documentation here today but perhaps he could let the committee have note of how many projects were re-scoped because they were deemed not to be value for money? That relates to projects under €1 million in the past four years. That would be useful. How many people were aware of what was happening? Who was involved? I know Mr. Conlon...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Three people made the decision that this was value for money.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: That was one person. If there were a similar project today, would it be signed off by one person at the OPW rather than by group consensus?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: If today there were a project for €200,000, would that be signed off by one person?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Yes, but as was said earlier, the lessons to be learned were to be learned in 2014 when the Siopa was built, and obviously they have not. People will ask what reason they have to believe now that lessons are going to be learned. Lessons are going to be learned seems to be the mantra of so many things across government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: What were the values of the two other quotes from the contractors that were not selected? Mr. Conlon stated that he selected the cheapest one. What were the values of the other two?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: To select the contractor. The applicants submitted overall costs. How many tenders were received before a decision was made?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: For the steel and glass.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: As there were only three bids for the steel and glass, Mr. Conlon must know what the highest bid was, along with the next one and the one selected.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: You should have that information today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: We are trying to judge the matter. I have a responsibility to the people of Mayo to ensure that they get value for their hard-earned money and the least they will expect to know is what were the other two bids.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Okay, if that can be furnished. I can see we may need another session to scrutinise this when we have all the relevant documentation. Is it usual for no estimates to be submitted to the promoter of the job? Is it usual for a job to be given the go-ahead without there being any ballpark figure or discussion of what the cost might be? I understand it cannot be pinned down because the jobs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: When it was agreed to go ahead with the project-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Yes. At that point, were there any discussions about cost and is it usual?