Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We say this with full respect. We are fully on board with genuine external oversight. We welcome it. It is a good structure to have in place, but we want it to be a success and for the new body to be an exemplar of good governance by its very existence. We feel - and the Tánaiste will detect that there is unanimity on this - that having someone who is merging the executive function with an oversight function is not good practice. It is called an external oversight body for good reason. The clue is in the name. It is not an internal executive function board. We think there should be a clear separation between the oversight function and the executive function.

I do not want to double up on comments that have already been made, but I will use the example of the Garda board. The new Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 established a board and there is no Secretary General, for instance from the Department of Justice, on that board. To back up Deputy Stanton, he suggested an excellent mechanism. It has already been proposed for the Chief of Staff and would achieve what the Tánaiste is trying to achieve while still allowing for the separation. If the Secretary General wishes or needs to interact with the external oversight board in any shape or form, she or he - whoever it is at the time - could adopt the same mechanisms as the Chief of Staff. That is a reasonable proposal. It achieves precisely what the Tánaiste intends to achieve, but also allows for separation, which is very important.