Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I believe the correlation I outlined is accurate. I asked my next question last week and I hope Mr. Barry has had a week to reflect on it because transparency is an issue. The board is changing and that is fair enough. Fair play to anybody who is volunteering for this job, as I said on the that occasion. I thank them because it is not an easy role to jump into. In fairness to Mr. Barry jumping into this role, when he got the phone call, he had to think about it for a while. This is a very important question and that is the reason he sat down with Q4 PR but I will get on to that in a while. Is the board strengthened or weakened by the fact the head of procurement in Ireland is no longer on it? I am not asking about the person but the role. Is the board strengthened or weakened by the fact the head of procurement in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, who is the most senior person in Ireland when it comes to procurement, is no longer on it? On the previous occasion we were told much of the procurement is out of the way and while I am not sure whether I accept it, I accept it as an answer. I am not going to dwell on this. Is the board strengthened or weakened by the fact the role is no longer part of it?