Results 761-780 of 1,053,730 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Ciarán Cannon OR speaker:Peadar Tóibín OR speaker:Pearse Doherty OR speaker:Mattie McGrath)

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

Pearse Doherty: That was ten years ago, in 2014, is that not the case? On lessons learned, how much did that project overrun by?

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

Pearse Doherty: It overran by €500,000, that is, half a million euro. It cost €1.4 million. It was probably the most expensive shop in Dublin and in Ireland. It is 40 sq. m and has lain idle for years. Where are the lessons learned? There is a commonality here and I could go through numerous other examples. The Garda headquarters were built by the OPW. I raised it here at the committee a...

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

Peadar Tóibín: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis na finnéithe as na cuir i láthair. The current anger and frustration among the public about this is palpable. The reason is that this issue is not unique. The Gucci bike shed is simply the tip of the iceberg regarding Government waste and public delivery of infrastructure. It is really damaging for citizens because we are...

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

Peadar Tóibín: It would be beneficial if the Minister came in to answer that question.

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

Peadar Tóibín: As this relates to that particular contract and it is at the start of the process, Mr. Conlon might answer that question.

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

Peadar Tóibín: Can the Chairman provide the details of that tender document to the committee in order that we also can have a look at it? I have one question relating to the multi-party framework procurement process. The office came up with the idea that this was going to cost €350,000. People would be surprised by that because when you procure something for your household, you do not say that...

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

Peadar Tóibín: I have a very short time.

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

Peadar Tóibín: Is there anything within that individual's job spec or contract that indicates this person has a responsibility to ensure value for money for the taxpayer?

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

Peadar Tóibín: I want to know the actual contract. There has to be a contractual responsibility by each individual in those scenarios to protect taxpayers' money. Is there anything in their job spec or contract to protect taxpayers' money?

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

Peadar Tóibín: I understand that but we need individuals to be personally responsible for the work they deliver. If people do not fulfil their contracts, then there is a personal responsibility and a form of discipline at some level, up to and including, necessarily, some people losing their jobs on certain occasions. If there is no cost for individuals in terms of waste of taxpayers' money, there will be...

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

Peadar Tóibín: On my next question, it seems as though the company that was contracted for this, Sensori, outsourced the job and tendered externally for four suppliers. Is that correct?

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

Peadar Tóibín: In other words, we outsourced the tendering of the taxpayers' money for this. Not only was our own oversight of potential waste internally very poor in this situation, but we actually gave it to someone else to tender and for taxpayers' money to be spent in this scenario.

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

Peadar Tóibín: Does Mr. Conlon think it is a good idea to put tendering at arms' length in the future with regard to these costs?

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

Peadar Tóibín: How do we know it is done competitively if we are not doing it?

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

Peadar Tóibín: Is the quantity surveyor working for Sensori or the OPW?

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

Peadar Tóibín: For who?

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

Peadar Tóibín: Is the surveyor an employee of the OPW then?

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

Peadar Tóibín: So we also outsource the quantity surveyor in that regard.

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

Peadar Tóibín: This is incredible that we are outsourcing oversight to these Government projects in those terms.

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

Peadar Tóibín: Everybody would expect that we get a bicycle shed for a reasonable price. That has not happened clearly. So the expectations here are blown out of the water, in fairness, Mr. Conlan.