Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy is making a very fair point. That is part of my consideration. The longer the prohibition, the stronger the case such a person would have for significant recompense. I do not want to create such a burden on the public service as I think there would be public resistance to it. If the period is reasonable - I believe 12 months is a reasonable period - people would understand on taking up the job that the prohibition is in place and that they can leave and take up another job, but not in any area that is linked to the previous work they did in the public sphere. That imposition could be a contractual one without requiring the State to pay for it.