Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Was it not essential that the reappointment should have been discussed at the board? A former party leader of mine, Mr. de Valera, said when he wanted to know what the people of Ireland were thinking, all he had to do was to look into his heart. That was no mandate to disregard a Cabinet or a Dáil. All these contractual issues were present in the toing and froing to the Department with regard to a contract and whether it was possible for Mr. Kavanagh not to be re-awarded a contract. Surely, as chairman of HRI, it was not good enough for Mr. Keeling to make his own judgment and his own call as to whether his was the right man. Given all the issues surrounding it, legal and otherwise, it surely was simply unacceptable that this would not come to the board for a full discussion.