Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

That is virtually the same answer given by the Taoiseach's predecessor last October. The Ethics in Public Office (Amendment) Bill has still not been dealt with in this House and the Bill, in any event, deals with somewhat different matters.

I will ask the Taoiseach about three particular aspects of this issue. In the programme for Government, there is a commitment that an "acceptable buffer period" will be put in place before civil servants or local government officials can take up employment in related areas of the private sector. What will be done about that commitment in the programme for Government? If that buffer period is to be put in place in respect of civil servants and local government officials, will the same apply to office holders? I am conscious, for example, that a former Minister of State, who served in the last Administration, went directly from a Department in which he had responsibility for property and construction matters to a lobby organisation representing the construction industry.

In respect of appointments to State bodies, in the existing code there is a commitment that appointments made by Government to State bodies would be based on merit, taking into account the skills, qualifications and experience of the person to be appointed. I ask the Taoiseach how that sits with his predecessor's acknowledgement that some appointments made to State bodies by his Administration were made on the basis that they were friends?

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