Results 921-940 of 1,075,282 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Alan Farrell OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:Leo Varadkar OR speaker:Paul Kehoe OR speaker:Marian Harkin OR speaker:Pa Daly OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Michael Lowry)

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: How do we prevent a recurrence?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: The question is who is to blame. Who is to compensate whom? The people of the area have been disadvantaged.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: How is Backweston data centre progressing with regard to energy consumption and so on?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I will move on to the OPW. I am not going to ask the question the Minister might think I am going to ask. I am going to ask a different question. This is regarding the arterial drainage issues all over the country. Given the situation that has arisen in Spain recently and recognising that in Ireland has fairly high levels of rainfall in any given year, is the Minister of State in any way...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Is the Minister of State satisfied that plans are sufficiently advanced at this stage to be able to reassure the people who have been the victims of flooding more than once, in recent times, suffering damage to their properties and businesses?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: A considerable amount of time has elapsed since the original scheme for Lough Funshinagh was abandoned, following judicial review or whatever the case was at the time. The case was taken by someone who did not live in the area at all. My concern is coming directly from people who live in my constituency. Householders and farmers have been discommoded severely in going about their business....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister, the Minister of State and their officials for coming before the committee. I have a couple of questions on the national development plan and the reform thereof. To what extent has that reform taken place, and to what extent has the economy from any reforms that have taken place or that are proposed?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Various snags and obstacles have impacted negatively on some, though not all, public projects in the past. Is the Minister satisfied at this stage that these matters have been brought into focus for review and improvement and is that likely to happen? For example, I was recently looking at an application to a local authority for something very small. It contained a file that was about 4...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Has any assessment been carried out to identify the direct causes of the inflation? I accept the Minister's point that costs have increased generally and so on, but there appear to be some cases where inflation comes in under a heading, and individual rates of inflation that seem to have a further impact come in under numerous headings, and the inflationary spiral continues. Is that...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: The purpose of this meeting is to consider the Supplementary Estimates for Vote 31 - Transport. I remind members the committee has no role in approving the Estimates. This is an ongoing opportunity for the committee to examine departmental expenditure, make the process more transparent and engage in a meaningful way on relevant performance issues. I thank the Department for the briefing...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I thank the Minister of State for his overview. Deputy O'Rourke is first to contribute.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: Thank you very much.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: Yes, go ahead. Just a brief one.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I am absolutely happy to have this discussion. We are in the unique position that this is our last meeting. The committee will not have the opportunity to weigh in on this matter. I ask that the Minister of State responds to the Deputy's other questions. I will then come back in on the matter of the airport, perhaps at the end of my contribution, if that is okay.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I have my own remarks to make. I was going to ask for the leeway of the committee. I did not need to, as it turns out. Deputy O'Rourke and I are in the very advantageous position of being here with the Minister of State for whatever amount of time this takes. Therefore, let us come back to it.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: Thanks very much Deputy. Now I gave you enough leeway. I have a whole list of-----

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: -----Fine Gael TDs and people. I could reel them off if you like. I thank the Deputy and also the Minister of State for his responses. I will go through items based on the Estimate and the contribution the Minister of State made earlier. Then, as I mentioned, I would like to go into a little more detail regarding Dublin Airport and recent judicial decisions. I will start, as Deputy...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: I will come in on that specific item because when people think of BusConnects, they think it is a few new buses and a few new drivers, and they ask why it will take until 2030 and potentially beyond to deliver it. The reason, of course, is that the infrastructure requires change and sacrifice. There are communities up and down this city, and I am sure in other cities where BusConnects is...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Alan Farrell: For the record, at the beginning of the meeting I did not offer the apologies of Deputies Feighan and Matthews, who are unable to make it to the meeting. Deputy Cathal Crowe is also unable to attend due to a bereavement. On behalf of the committee I offer our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to him and his family on their recent tragic loss over the weekend.