Mr. Tom Boland:

Certainly in the past few years - this is more of an observation than any sense of fact - the awareness of people on governing bodies - this extends also to audit committees - of their duties and obligations has greatly increased, probably due in no small part to some public scandals but also due in part to the code of governance produced for State agencies.

The awareness of people in those kinds of bodies of their duties and obligations has greatly increased, probably due in no small part to some public scandals, but also due in part to the kind of code of governance that has been produced for State agencies. There is much more lively regard had among those kinds of bodies and their staff to their obligations. In addressing the governing body in Waterford a few weeks ago, following the publication of the Quigley report, an individual who has been a member of the governing body for a number of years made a point which I believe was valid, but valid only at the time. She felt that, a few years ago, she could reasonably rely on the word and statement of the chief officer, as presented to the governing body. That is no longer the case for members of boards. They have a duty to interrogate what chief officers say. The culture has changed quite significantly, for a variety of reasons.