Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

My question refers to the chairs of the boards of banks that have received the State guarantee. The Taoiseach should be in a position to have them come before Dáil committees to answer questions. Given the controversy surrounding the former director of FÁS and the chief executive of the regulatory authority, who both received serious amounts of money when they left their positions, does the Taoiseach think there is an opportunity to write into the conditions for all future contract appointments that abuse of privilege or straying outside the remit of one's appointment would result in non-payment of a golden handshake? I note, for example, the Committee on Finance and the Public Service has stated that the sums paid to the regulator should be taken back. This is clearly a cause for serious public anxiety.

The Taoiseach's predecessor has stated in response to questions that Dáil committees should have some sort of role in the appointment of persons to State boards, and important boards in particular. Does the Taoiseach agree that if the Government or a Minister intends to appoint a person to a somewhat important State board, that person should appear before a committee to explain what he or she can offer the board in question, in other words, his or her qualifications to deal with Government policy in so far as the board's remit is concerned? The previous Taoiseach said that he would involve committees to some extent, not in an interrogatory role but to give the prospective appointee an opportunity to set out his or her qualifications and experience and what he or she proposes to bring to the board. This might result in a better situation than what has obtained heretofore under all Governments.

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