Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

Yes. There is also a section in the code dealing with the obligations on civil servants who are board members. This refers back to a circular letter from the Department of Finance, as it was called then, circular 12/2010. It deals with a protocol for civil servants nominated to the boards of non-commercial State bodies and outlines steps to be taken where a civil servant nominee to the board of a non-commercial State body has a concern that they have raised but that has not been answered to their satisfaction where a significant public policy issue is at stake. This requires the Minister to be notified without delay where: there are serious weaknesses in controls that have not been addressed despite being drawn to the attention of the board or the chairperson; there is a significant strategic or reputational risk to the State body that is not being addressed; or there are serious concerns about possible illegality or fraud occurring in a State body. The note was just trying to give greater detail on the points I made at last week's meeting.