John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

These public service bodies are generally agencies of a Department. In terms of the circular letter that was issued, it is interesting to hear the explanation being offered that it applied only to civil servants and, therefore, the public service was left to one side.

That is not good practice. If we are expecting one policy to be followed by a civil servant, any agency that comes under a Department should at least share, in a general way, that Civil Service policy. Otherwise, a completely different approach is adopted to different actions that might be taken, be it secondment or whatever it might be. Relative to the current issue of the Secretaries General where one was to be seconded and the other who was seconded, it appears now that circular does not cover them. Is that right?