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Sunday 27 September 2020
Member of the Public Accounts Committee queried what record will be kept of their private meeting with a serving Garda sergeant later today.
The Garda Commissioner has dropped his threat of possible legal action as the Public Accounts Committee prepares to hear from a serving sergeant tomorrow afternoon.
The committee has decided, without a vote, to press ahead with plans to hear from serving garda sergeant this Thursday.
Justice Minister Alan Shatter asked the Garda Ombudsman to investigate the penalty points controversy last night in light of recent developments.
The investigation into the penalty point controversy is minimising the independence of the Garda Ombudsman: the body won’t have autonomous access to the PULSE system or any remit to examine the Commissioner’s role, writes Mick Wallace TD.
But Maurice McCabe’s possible appearance before members of the Public Accounts Committee could yet end-up in the courts.
The Minister has also hit out at a “minority” of PAC members whose comments “pose the risk of bringing the work of the Committee into disrepute, undermining its role and its credibility”.
Strict new Covid-19 measures have been announced for the two counties – here’s what you need to know.
It is to hold a private meeting tomorrow to discuss the news that the Ombudsman is to probe the penalty points issue.
An ambulance chaser or an indispensable public spending watchdog? The Public Accounts Committee’s work and role is coming under increasing scrutiny from its own members.
The Commissioner said that he would not discuss the issue of serving sergeant Maurice McCabe appearing before the PAC.
Even if the Public Accounts Committee is able to hear from the whistleblowers it is not clear whether this will happen in public or private session.
The Garda Commissioner spent five hours giving evidence to TDs on the Public Accounts Committee today. Here’s what he told them…
A deadline of 31 March has been set for the completion of the report, after which staff will face another grilling by the Public Accounts Committee.
The Garda Commissioner has said he will take legal advice over the appearance of two garda whistleblowers before the PAC over the penalty points controversy.
The Garda Commissioner is appearing before TDs on the Public Accounts Committee at Leinster House today.
The make up of the new committee both in terms of size and who will sit on it has yet to be decided.
The Taoiseach has defended Irish Water and its chief executive John Tierney this morning.
Deputy Simon Harris is a member of the Public Accounts Committee, which grilled Central Remedial Clinic employees this week.
The Minister said that the CRC scandal was “an astounding set of circumstances and absolutely shocking”.
The Public Accounts Committee has published the minutes of the meeting where the controversial remuneration package for the outgoing CEO were discussed in the spring of last year.
“You feel disgusted and saddened, but not just for yourself and your child, you feel for the staff of the CRC, they’re so amazing, they work so hard.”
The Public Accounts Committee has heard fresh revelations about the top-up and pension pay-off scandal at the Central Remedial Clinic with a total of €742,025 paid out in respect of Paul Kiely’s pension and pay-off.
A suggestion that the exchequer is not funding Irish Water drew criticism from the Public Accounts Committee chairman John McGuinness last night.
The Public Accounts Committee will hear further details about the top-up scandal at the Central Remedial Clinic tomorrow morning.
John Tierney, who appeared before the joint Oireachtas Environment Committee yesterday, will be back in Leinster House this evening to answer more questions on Irish Water’s finances.
The chair of the Public Accounts Committee said he is “appalled” by the news that documents related to the bank guarantee have gone missing in the Department of Finance.
The news – which comes after it was revealed Irish Water spent €50m on consultants last year – was welcomed by PAC member and TD Simon Harris.
Irish Water has defended the spending saying the initial cost of setting it up has to be seen “in the context of long term cost savings”.
The chair of the Public Accounts Committee said he found the manner in which the information was released into the public domain by the hospital “shocking”.
NAMA’s bosses told an Oireachtas committee this morning that although they have not been presented with the specific allegations, they are “satisfied that they are unfounded”.
The hospital have told the HSE that they will not disclose payments to senior staff because of data protection issues and because they come from private funds.
Last week it was suggested the €660,000 paid by the CRC to the hospital for 180 of its staff, was going into a ‘phantom fund’.
Hearings are likely to take place with National Asset Management Agency and Department of Finance officials in the New Year.
Paul Maloney said he had, for four years, “watched aghast” as the authority’s former chair Niamh Brennan issued “report after report” which contained “the most grievous accusations which have since been withdrawn or discredited”.
Public Accounts Committee chairman John McGuinness expressed frustration at the slow process of compelling witnesses to appear before it.
What’s going on in Leinster House? Well, as you asked…
John McGuinness also says he has “no difficulty” dealing with the Bertie Ahern link with the Central Remedial Clinic.
The revelation was disclosed right at the end of lengthy hearings before the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee this afternoon.
The HSE’s director of human resources, Barry O’Brien, said that the executive “had no knowledge on that” arrangement.
Brian Conlan declined to meet the Public Accounts Committee today, but released a statement contradicting some of the things said.
AFTER A COLD week, another frosty few days are ahead of us.
Temperatures are set to drop to as low as -2 degrees tonight, according to Met Éireann.
Conditions will be dry and clear, but there will be widespread frost.
So, as the autumn weather is most certainly upon us, we want to know: Have you turned the heating on this week?
Poll Results:
Share your story: voices@thejournal.ie
Clouds and sun
Max: 13 °C
Min: 6 °C
Mostly cloudy with spotty showers
Max: 17 °C
Min: 6 °C
Times of clouds and sun
Max: 14 °C
Min: 9 °C
