Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

On the latter matter, the then Taoiseach was making the point that whereas these people had competence to go on these State boards, they were also people he knew. In many cases when I am looking for suitable people for appointment, there are some people whom I never met before who are recommended to me and others whom I know or meet in the course of my duties may impress me and may have a role to play so if they were available they could be appointed.

That one knows or does not know somebody is not the issue, the issue is competence to serve on a board. The fact that one is friendly with somebody should not be a disbarment and by the same token it should not be — this was not suggested — the only criterion involved.

The people who have served on these boards are competent to do so. That issue has been somewhat flogged to death at this stage in terms of trying to misrepresent what the position was and is. That applies to successive Governments. I never commented adversely on anybody who made an appointment on the basis they knew someone. The only time I would ever comment is on the basis of whether I felt the person was competent to do the job. That certainly was not the criteria suggested as being out of order today. If one knows somebody now, there is apparently a problem. It is not a fair comment.

On the codes of conduct, there is currently an arrangement where a retiring public official would get clearance in terms of ensuring a buffer period before taking up a subsequent appointment. All people involved would act ethically and in a proper and appropriate way. The commitment in the programme for Government will be implemented in due course and it is a question of finding a period of time to simply allay any semblance of public concern, which I do not believe is well grounded anyway under present arrangements. The motivation behind that issue is to provide further reassurance. It can be achieved in due course in this Administration.

I have found it to be the case that local government officials or civil servants who have subsequently taken up appointments have done so mindful of their previous public duties. I have total confidence that at no stage would they allow a conflict of interest to arise.

With regard to the Minister of State mentioned by the Deputy, he was quite entitled to take up that appointment and I am aware of no suggestion of any impropriety on his part in taking it up.

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