Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Adams has come to the House this morning and made specific allegations against someone who does a job for an important independent statutory element of our democracy, An Bord Pleanála. I do not think I have ever been in contact with An Bord Pleanála over the years other than to inquire when a decision might be made, and seldom at that. Deputy Adams is making an allegation against someone who has been appointed to an important position. He doubts whether that person is capable of doing his job objectively. He is insinuating in the Chamber this morning that this person is in some way conflicted by the work that he does. I do not think that is very good from Deputy Adams's point of view.

Anyone is entitled to lodge or withdraw an objection. I do not know the details of the case Deputy Adams has raised but I am assured that the Minister of State responsible, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is dealing with this specific matter. I imagine that if Deputy Adams wishes to put down a question to her, she will answer it for him.

It is a fact that when personnel are being appointed to membership of boards, people are entitled to apply or make expressions of interest through the publicjobs.iewebsite in respect of the experience they might bring to a particular position or otherwise. That does not confine a Minister to choosing from those who apply in that fashion. Ministers can choose membership of boards from outside specific applications that are made. This Government is the first to have introduced a requirement that the chairpersons of state bodies and boards of importance will appear before the relevant Oireachtas committees to explain and answer their questions in regard to the experience or expertise they might bring to any particular board.

I imagine if someone from the House were to be nominated for consideration to be appointed as a European Commissioner, that person would have no problem at all in going before the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs to discuss the matter. As I said to Deputy Adams yesterday, if someone from the House were to be nominated for the post of European Commissioner, there is a requirement that such a person would go before the full European Parliament for a three- or four-hour discussion and questioning process about their credentials for the job for which they have been nominated by a particular country. That applies in all cases.

I hope that the Deputy understands that the allegations he makes against an individual whom I do not know are very serious. Let me repeat for him again that the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is dealing with the particular case that the Deputy mentioned in Wicklow.

See this speech in context