Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

Did the Department's representative on the board ever raise these issues with the Minister? Notwithstanding the recent appointments of two fine and able people, does the Minister not accept that the cloud hanging over the remainder of the board of the INS requires that the board now tender its resignation? In order to safeguard the interests of this valuable industry, which has a global reach and is one of the few areas in which we distinguish ourselves internationally, and to protect all the associated employment, a new board is required. We need to move on from this. There are issues with regard to expenditure and so on which will need to be teased out, and I understand the INS is to appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. In order to start with a clean slate, and excluding the two most recent appointments, is it not now time, given the magnitude of the failure of corporate governance, for a new board to be appointed?

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