Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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I will get into governance probably for the rest of my time. I appreciate Mr. Ó Coigligh said Ms Brennan will carry out a review but I would have thought that what we air in this committee could inform that review and there might be issues. I come at this as somebody who in my previous role was the director and chief commissioner of IHREC, which is essentially the chair and CEO role of a State body. It is a full-time chair role so it is slightly different. It is very different agency with increased independence. I feel obliged to speak up for State agencies because I understand the unique dynamic between agencies and Departments. I heard from the witnesses, for example, that the Department supported more than challenged the Arts Council. Sanctions and business cases were spoken about. I know from experience how frustrating and difficult it is as a State agency when you repeatedly seek sanction and put forward business cases for all sorts of resources - human resources as well as everything else - and you are knocked back again and again. It is very much a "computer says no" response. I appreciate the Department provides support but it does so within the parameters of the broader Civil Service which suits Government Departments but does not suit the wide variety of State agencies. There is no consistency over those State agencies. I want to drill down into the specific recruitment question. It is at the heart of this matter. The Arts Council sought a senior person which potentially could have helped to avoid all of this. When such a recruitment business case is received from an agency, be it the Arts Council or any other body under the aegis of the Department, who is the decision-making person on that sanction? Is it Mr. Ó Coigligh as the Secretary General?