Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I, too, believe in public services and have the utmost respect for public servants. I also believe in the accountability of public services and the Civil Service at the highest leadership levels. I put the matter of his proposed appointment to the European Court of Auditors directly to the outgoing Secretary General from the Department of Finance, and he answered my question although the answers were not very convincing.

The Tánaiste cannot run away from the issue of high-level accountability if he is serious about reform. That is a fact.

See this speech in context