Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Renewed Programme for Government contains a commitment that the Government will introduce, on a legislative basis, a more open and transparent system for appointments to public bodies. It states that this legislation will outline a procedure for the advertising of all vacancies and the inviting of applications from those interested in being appointed; it will also allow for the creation of a panel of suitable applicants and provide a mechanism for consideration of appointments by the appropriate Oireachtas committee. When will we see that legislation?

If this is Government policy on appointments to public bodies - I presume it is, otherwise it would not be in the programme to Government - why can the Government not practise it now, rather than preaching it? What is to prevent the Government from applying these principles immediately and on an continuing basis, rather than waiting for the legislation? Why, for example, did the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources recently make an appointment to a post at the Commission for Energy Regulation, with a salary of €165,000, without any advertising? I understand around a third of all Green Party councillors who lost their seats at the local elections last June have now been appointed to State bodies. Why does the Government not apply its proposed policy now?

The Taoiseach responded to an earlier question by saying he did not want to micro-manage his Ministers. It is widely expected that the Taoiseach will have an extensive Cabinet reshuffle and realignment of Departments. What steps is he taking in anticipation of significant changes in the Cabinet? Is he taking steps to ensure that those he does not intend to reappoint will not be appointing people all over the place before the reshuffle?

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