Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

If the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will allow me I will give the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, the opportunity to hear how I opened my contribution.

This is an issue of some sensitivity and relates to the recruitment practices and employment policy of Safefood, one of the important North-South bodies established in recent years. It saddens me that it is necessary to raise this matter. As I will explain, I have used other mechanisms to ascertain information but that information has not been of a sufficient standard or appropriate. It particularly saddens me as a Cork Deputy, as Safefood is based in the Cork area, however there are important issues of accountability that the Minister of State on behalf of the Government should take the opportunity to place on the record.

My interest in this issue was sparked by a constituent, Mr. John Masson of Currabinny, County Cork, who applied for a position of co-ordinator of the research team on investigating the spread and control of cryptosporidium. This was a five-year, part-time position that paid €10,000 per year. That position is subject to hearings in authorities in this State and Northern Ireland and I do not want to compromise the decision. However, it is clear the process, which involved only three candidates, seems to have been solved by some form of osmosis and Safefood is guilty, at the very least, of gross discourtesy to two candidates on how decisions were made, who was given the eventual position and the appropriate qualifications that such persons have. One of the candidates is my constituent and another, Dr. John Moore from Ballymena, County Antrim, is in the Gallery. As I said, the position will be ascertained by both authorities in the North and the South. It leaves a bad taste about the confidence in which the agency can be held.

I have asked two parliamentary questions in this House, both of which were addressed to the Office of the Taoiseach, given that he had prime responsibility for establishing North-South bodies on behalf of the Government. Both questions were referred to the Minister for Health and Children, who has responsibility for Safefood, and she, as the senior Minister transferred them to her Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power. The answers received on the number of complaints against Safefood on recruitment practices and employment policies were incorrect and this has added more fuel to the fire.

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