Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is actually the other way around. I can offer some explanation as to why the Deputy is saying that. At the moment, we have a board within the Standards in Public Office Commission. If a particular matter needs to be considered or action taken, the board has to be assembled. We are now vesting the power in this area in a single individual who is referred to in this Bill either as the standards commissioner, and who can also have a deputy. We are looking to move it in the other direction.

Where the Deputy might be getting that idea from, though, is that we have an outside appointments board through which that person can give consideration to whether somebody should be taking up a role. Maybe in respect of that board the Deputy's point could be considered. In terms of this Bill, we are looking to move it in the opposite direction in that we would have a single person and a deputy whose role it would be to oversee the implementation of this legislation.