Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I do not disagree with what the Deputy has suggested. There is merit, and I availed of it, in being able to headhunt somebody to lead my own Department that I thought would be good at the job. I should not make personal mention of that person but the Government made a wise choice. The TLAC process will have to be looked at very carefully. I would be willing to discuss it with anybody who has ideas. By way of explanation the new chair of the TLAC is Ms Maureen Lynott. The other members include Dr. Dorothy Scally, a HR consultant, Mr. Martin Murphy, managing director of Hewlett Packard Ireland, Mr. Clive Brownlee, Praesta Ireland, and Mr. Kevin Empey, head of HR at Tower Watson. Those are the five external members. The internal members are the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Secretary General to the Government, and two ex officio members, the Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills.

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