Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

It has been implemented in the Cabinet guidelines. The book has not been reprinted but it is on the website.

The Deputy asked if an adviser can be of a political nature. The report does not mean an advisor cannot be of a political nature. Quigley highlighted that if someone is being appointed on that basis, the appointment must go through the procedures. That is what is set down, not that a person with a political affiliation or association is banned. That was not the spirit of the report. If such a person is going into a contract like this, there is a procedure that should be followed.

The Cabinet secretariat prepares and is responsible for the work on Cabinet guidelines and other procedures and rules so it is the obvious place to do this. The civil servants in that section are familiar with this work. They probably would prefer not to be engaged in this kind of checking but there is not another suitable place unless an outside contractor is employed to check the work of an outside contractor. That would not be a good idea either. In the absence of a more suitable place for arbitration, the Cabinet secretariat is a good location.

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