Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I support the idea of people going before committees for interview and I promoted that as part of our manifesto. However, it seems that what was done yesterday by the Government in regard to Bord na gCon is almost in breach of the new regime it announced yesterday. In essence, a person has been appointed before that person has been interviewed by any committee. That is the point I want to make in this respect.

The Taoiseach would have had already available to him significant legal advice about the raft of appointments made by the Minister, Deputy Noonan, to non-existent health board vacancies towards the end of 1997. With the severance payments and ministerial pensions Ministers of the current Government took when they were previously Ministers and now having regard to this case, it is a case of there being double standards in many respects.

I welcome the new regime. However, it is important that it is brought into play as quickly as possible. I note that the Minister, Deputy Hogan was furiously prompting the Taoiseach as I asked my question.

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