Independent Ireland accused of ‘Elon Musk-style’ plan to end wasteful Government spending
Independent Ireland accused of ‘Elon Musk-style’ plan to end wasteful Government spendinghas been fined €4.3 million over the past two years for failing to pay its bills on time for purchases including cleaning products and toilet rolls, the Dáil has heard.
TD Mark Ward said “nobody is being held to account”, as he highlighted fines the health service pays for delays in paying its invoices. “Every time a bill is not paid on time by the HSE for something as simple as cleaning products or toilet rolls or something like that, they get a fine,” he said. He said the €4.3 million worth of fines in the last two years could have been used for badly needed services.An Irishman in Spain: ‘Salaries are much lower here, but my mental health is far better’ Trump says ‘golden age of America has only just begun’ in speech riddled with exaggerations and inaccuraciesIf you laughed at the one about the Leinster House bike shelter, you’ll love the one about the loo rolls Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Jack Chambers said his department will carry out a “full review of public financial procedures”. This review will specifically examine the accountability requirements in terms of providing value for money, he said. The Independent Ireland private member’s debate was introduced by Cork Southwest TD Michael Collins who called for a department of efficiency and reform.“We need independent auditors, not political appointees, he said. “We need experts from the private sector, people who know how to run a business, manage costs and keep projects on time and on budget. This new watchdog should have real power, including the power to arrive unannounced, dig through the books and expose waste in real time. “There should be no more soft reports, no more lessons learned. If waste is found, heads should roll and the public should know exactly who is responsible.”He said Independent Ireland “talked about a Luas for every town in Ireland” during the election campaign and is now adopting an “Elon Musk-type approach” of “kill the system, kill the people – the very people providing for this country”.He hit out at the Opposition for calling the “bike shelter” a “bike shed” and said it was built at a listed building that is “cherished by people all over the world”. He said “we cannot just dig up, throw in and do what you bloody well like, which is what the deputies opposite are suggesting”. He also defended OPW expenditure on a wall at the Hill of Tara and said the OPW was “not building a wall” but carrying out maintenance work. It might have gone on for 12 years and go on for another 12 years, he said, but “the Hill of Tara never closed”. He said Opposition parties and some Independents “failed” to enter Government when they had the opportunity.Taoiseach and UK prime minister to discuss potential Ukraine peace deal at Liverpool summitAll criminal suspects ‘can’t be interned’, says Taoiseach, responding to ‘shocking’ bail figuresTrump says ‘golden age of America has only just begun’ in speech riddled with exaggerations and inaccuraciesTaoiseach and UK prime minister to discuss potential Ukraine peace deal at Liverpool summit Israeli security services point finger at Netanyahu as they own up to errors over Hamas’s October 7th incursionOur politics team's behind-the-scenes take on events of the day. Every Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday when the Dáil sits
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