Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Nor am I suggesting that former political, public representatives should not be appointed. I am not suggesting that at all. I am just naming ten or 12 who happen to be persons who either failed to hold their seats or belong to a particular political party. We discussed this matter before with the Taoiseach's predecessor on many occasions. It is difficult to get good people to serve on boards in many instances. Would the Taoiseach not take into account what the Minister for Finance said about this in response to questions I asked him? He said it would be useful for the Oireachtas to involve the appropriate Oireachtas committee at some stage in some of these appointments.

When there is a vacancy on a State agency's board, one can go through a list of party supporters, or Green Party supporters. However, there may well be others who might have something genuine to bring to that board but they never get a look in. Such positions could be advertised, although one might get too many applications. Alternatively, to get the best from the appointments to be made, one could say: "These are important positions. I'd like you to go before the Oireachtas committee and tell the members what it is that you will bring to the job with your expertise and experience, be you a former public representative or not."

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