Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the interests of public transparency and in how we started our debate, we started it on the Mahon tribunal and on its findings ten years ago. We are now here in a position of transparency, or at least we should be, and are here in the public interest dealing with the public purse. That is what we are here for. I asked the Secretary General if he had regard for SIPOC, and for standards in public office and he said "Yes". I asked him earlier if he felt that we had a proper vetting process for our public officials, to which he said "Yes". I then asked him if he believes that all officials should be of the utmost integrity, trustworthy and honest, to which he also said "Yes" but he cannot offer a view on the appointment of someone who was found to be none of those things. All of those things were called into question and yet this person has been appointed and has, in effect, been rewarded with a position on a board which deals with €5 billion, and Mr. Doyle does not have an opinion on that. I have to ask the same question which I asked the previous Secretary General which is whether he believes he has the skill set to hold his position as Secretary General.