Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I wish to pursue two aspects of the Quigley report with the Taoiseach. One of the recommendations of the report was that approval by the Taoiseach would be required where a Minister was taking on either an individual or a PR consultancy firm providing advice to the Minister. Was that practice ever adopted and on how many occasions, if any, has his approval been sought for the appointment of such a person?

A procedure was recommended by the Quigley report that where a Minister was nominating an individual or a PR firm to be appointed, it would be notified to the Secretary General of the Government. Will the Taoiseach indicate to the House on how many occasions that practice has been complied with since 2005?

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