Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also have a question about the Commission for Public Service Appointments, the statutory body which sets standards for recruitment in the public service. It is also, in effect, the regulator. Does the Minister believe the regulator should be able to comment on matters relating to the regulation of public service appointments? I ask because of the remuneration of a particular Secretary General, as was recently reported in the media and debated at different committees. I wrote to the commission to ask its views and it told me it was not appropriate for it to comment. To be honest, I thought it was unusual, in some senses, that the regulator could not comment on matters pertaining to the regulation of public service appointments. I would like to hear the Minister's views and comments on that matter. Does he see a stronger role for the committee, in light of the recommendations made in the report that was recently published?