Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)

I, too, am delighted to take part in this debate. I thank Deputy Varadkar for his work on this issue. While I and my party do not believe his measures go far enough to reform the system of appointments to State boards it does represent a positive contribution, and is another opportunity for the political system to debate this issue, which is important. This country has, regrettably, a chequered history in terms of political appointments to State boards, with many appointments over the years bringing into the realm of public service people chosen for reasons of acquaintance and loyalty, not competence or suitability. Those examples amounted to nothing more than political cronyism.

There are several positive aspects to Deputy Varadkar's proposals. They bring greater accountability into the realm of State bodies and their work. We have seen from recent incidents how a lack of accountability from State bodies has led to serious problems. The proposal includes Oireachtas participation in the ratification of certain appointments, which could be a positive and more democratic way of making appointments. It also envisages Oireachtas committees playing a more active role in the process of public appointments. However, I do not believe Deputy Varadkar's proposals go far enough. The Bill would not remove political patronage and it would not open up membership of State boards to qualified and talented people from outside the political system. We need to walk a further mile in that regard.

As Deputy Cuffe indicated, my party has shown its commitment to reform of the public appointments system in recent years. In 2007 my colleague Senator Boyle produced a fine Bill which would have had positive implications for all appointments to public bodies. That Bill provided that the Minister would retain responsibility for appointments but a public bodies unit within the Office of the Commission for Public Service Appointments would take charge of overseeing the appointments. It would advertise positions openly and transparently and following its selection of candidates a new joint Oireachtas committee on appointments to public bodies would be involved in scrutiny of the system and scrutiny at the end of the terms of office of appointees. In addition, the commission would have the power to dismiss chairpersons or board members. Under that Bill special appointments to certain international bodies would be subject to Dáil approval. Although Senator Boyle's Bill was rejected by the then Government he raised the issue again in frequent Seanad debates. He most recently initiated a further debate on governance in that House in April of this year.

Deputy Cuffe referred to the changes introduced by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, in the Broadcasting Act 2009. That was another Green Party initiative to re-shape public appointments. The Oireachtas, through the relevant committee, will nominate half of the members of the Broadcasting Authority, as well as approve them. This is the first time nominations and appointments to a State board have been legislated for in such a manner. The party has also shown a non-partisan approach in some of the appointments it has made to State boards. It is working in government to produce broad reform of this area of public appointments.

Any system of public appointments would need to be based on allowing the wider public access to jobs on State boards so that those outside the political elite are able to get involved. A new system should entail greater use of Oireachtas committees, or perhaps the Seanad, to nominate or audit board membership. In addition a State body such as the Public Appointments Commission should be used to regulate and administer a fair, transparent and meritocratic system of public appointments. Dáil inclusion in the ratification of certain appointments to international bodies should also be considered as part of this reform.

I once shared a car journey from the North with Deputy Varadkar, where we discussed many things as we negotiated the roundabouts and traffic lights going back to Dáil Éireann for a vote, among them, Oireachtas reform, Dáil reform, and public appointments and other things that shall remain between the two of us. His sincerity in bringing this Bill before the House is genuine. I would like it to go further. It has brought the discussion of the range of appointments to State boards once more into the public domain, which can only be good. I look forward to further progress on this area of governance in the near future from this side of the House.

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