Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Of course after the report of the task force was received a number of steps needed to be undertaken, not least of which was consultation with the international Red Cross with regard to whether the working group proposals were appropriate in the context of the changes the international Red Cross had sought in 2007. There was considerable consultation at that level. There was also consideration of the proposals at the level of the executive of the Irish Red Cross Society, which was a very important element of that. There was not a large queue of people seeking to be appointed to the position of chairman of the society and I am very grateful to Mr. O'Callaghan for having accepted it. At this point he and his executive have considerable work to do independently of the Government. Some of these changes are quite far-reaching, and some elements need to be cleared by Office of the Attorney General and the Parliamentary Counsel regarding the manner in which they are done. I would welcome input from the Houses of the Oireachtas and I would be happy to bring the draft regulations before the relevant committee at the appropriate time if that were the feeling of the House in that regard.

This is a major restructuring and it is more important that it be done properly than done with undue haste and end up being a failure.

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