The first item on the agenda is the election of Chairman. I ask for nominations for that position.
Election of Chairman
Clerk to the Committee
I propose the nomination of Deputy John McGuinness to be Chairman of the committee.
Clerk to the Committee
Are there any other nominees?
I was waiting for somebody to propose me but I will now put my name forward myself.
Clerk to the Committee
That is in order. As more than one nomination has been received I am required to deal with them in the order in which they were received and I will now put the following question: "That Deputy John McGuinness be elected Chairman of the committee."
Are there seconders or is there-----
Clerk to the Committee
There is no requirement under Second Orders for a seconder. I am required to put the question-----
On a point of order, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald might propose me now that she is here.
Clerk to the Committee
Deputy McDonald has nominated Deputy Ross. As more than one nomination has been received I am required to deal with them in the order in which they were received and I will now put the following question: "That Deputy John McGuinness be elected Chairman of the committee."
Question put.
The Committee divided: Tá, 10; Níl, 2.
Tá
- Deasy, John.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Ferris, Anne.
- Harris, Simon.
- McCarthy, Michael.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- Murphy, Eoghan.
- Nolan, Derek.
- O’Donnell, Kieran.
Níl
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- Ross, Shane.
Question declared carried.
Deputy John McGuinness took the Chair.
I thank Deputy McGrath for proposing me for the position of Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts. I thank the members for their support. I say to Deputy Ross that it is always worthwhile having a contest and while we did not have a record of voting on this committee on which I served previously as Vice Chairman it is a healthy sign of interest in a committee such as the Committee of Public Accounts that others would contest the position of Chairman.
I look forward to working with each and every member during the course of this term. In the course of that work, which we will set out later today or perhaps next week in private session, there is a hugely important role for the Committee of Public Accounts in the context of the way we examine and scrutinise the accounts of every Department to ensure we get value for money, efficiency within our system, a better practice to deliver on behalf of the constituents we represent, and ensure at all times that there is transparency in the work we do generally and in the work that we do in the context of the various Departments.
In that regard, I intend to carry on the work as I saw it being done during the time of the chairmanship of Deputy Michael Noonan in which we dealt with everything in a meticulous and forensic way where it was presented thereafter to the public. I encourage each and every member to play an active role on this important committee to ensure the work we must undertake on behalf of the State will be completed efficiently and well and that the taxpayer will be well represented at this forum.