Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is the first difference with the precedent of the past. Unlike what Deputy Lahart said about moving Secretaries General whose expertise we would lose after seven years, that did not apply in Dr. Holohan's case. He was looking to move on. I will quote the Minister when speaking on "Morning Ireland" on the relevant day. While I hate to over-familiarise, the Minister said, "Tony wanted a new challenge." God knows, it is about time someone in the room said that Robert Watt was retro-engineering it in direct conflict with the terms of the circular which quite clearly refer to six months at a minimum and five years at a maximum but he said it was open-ended. That is the first point.

The next point is directed to the Secretary General, Mr. Watt. "This was agreed by the Department" is a sentence he has used regularly in this room and elsewhere. By whom in the Department was it agreed?