Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I support this proposal. For far too long, we have people on boards not just due to political persuasion, but also due to favours that have been done. In Fine Gael, we believe people who are competent and qualified for the task should be appointed to boards.

Millions of euro are expended by the National Roads Authority but it is answerable to no one. If I ask a Parliamentary Question about a by-pass or a road I am told it is not the responsibility of the Minister for Transport but of the National Roads Authority, the board of which is appointed. Who are these appointees? Vacancies on boards should be advertised in local and national newspapers and on the Government website. People of competence, regardless of their political affiliations, should be appointed to such boards. It is galling that although the Minister has no responsibility for the National Roads Authority, he is the first man on the scene, with his cronies, to cut the tape at the opening of a new road. That is wrong. Such bodies should be accountable to the Dáil.

The Department of Agriculture and Food gives millions of euro to Teagasc. Last week, I asked a question about the future of the Boyle Teagasc office. I was told that was not the responsibility of the Minister and advised to contact Teagasc. This is not good enough. There are more than 600 boards and quangos. I accept that we need some boards and that some board members are qualified and have given great service to the State. We must be, however, open and transparent. Appointments should not be political gestures or gifts, and that is what they are.

The people want more local involvement in state boards. They want board members to have the required skills and independent assessment. A board should be established to assess the make-up of state boards.

In the United Kingdom there is a code of practice for ministerial appointments to public bodies. It analyses the potential for conflict of interest which may arise from making appointments. The code identifies the five issues most frequently encountered. One is relationships and associations, including friendships, and the potential for such to influence actions or to be perceived as doing so. Other disqualifying grounds include the potential perception of the appointment as a reward for past or future contributions or favours in circumstances where an awareness of pending government policy arising from a board position could represent an unfair advantage for those with related business interests.

We are very close to a one-party state. Fianna Fáil has been in power for 23 of the past 25 years. They have used boards to exert much influence. Some 600 boards and between 6,000 and 7,000 members are appointed to public bodies. This is undermining our constitutional democracy.

The Government must accept this very important proposal. By looking into their souls, they will see that the people want transparency and openness. The people cannot know what is going on when bodies are run by ministerial appointees. Before the last Taoiseach left office many dozens of people were appointed to various boards. Some of these appointments have not been a great success and have done the country a great disservice.

Former members of An Bord Pleanála were re-appointed as outside nominees. Does this mean the board will continue unchanged forever? If rules are undermined and individuals can change rules to suit themselves, a board will never change. Boards are like football teams. They need young new talent, regardless of political persuasion. I do not mind if someone is a supporter of the Government as long as he or she is open, transparent and qualified to do the job on behalf of the people.

I commend Deputy Varadkar on bringing this Bill before the Dáil. We have seen boards which were rubber stamps for Government policy. They hid the fact that Ministers should have been responsible for certain areas. Matters were passed to boards which should have been decided by the Government or the Oireachtas. That is not government. Deputies are elected by the people and ministers are appointed to make decisions. They cannot hide behind boards whose members are political supporters and unqualified and who are expected to take the flak when times are difficult.

The same is true of the Health Service Executive. If one writes to the HSE with a query about a hospital or similar matter one must wait three weeks for a reply.

It worries me that if one wants something done in Ireland one has to ask a member of a board. Although these members are not elected by the people they are the people who have the power. The Government has given power to unelected people who are faceless and not answerable to anybody. Unless that perception changes the majority of good honourable, hard working and qualified board members will all be tarred with the same brush.

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