James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The last question is astonishing in some respects. Is the Deputy suggesting anybody with business interests is not fit to be chair of a board? I do not accept this. It may be the Sinn Féin way and the Sinn Féin's Ireland of the future, but it certainly is not the Government's view that people involved in private enterprise, with a tremendous skills set in terms of organisational and leadership skills, should be excluded from membership or becoming chairs of boards. I reject this out of hand.

The Deputy asked me if I had known Mr. Daly before I appointed him. I did not know him and do not believe I had ever met him before then. Perhaps I had met him, but I certainly did not know him or of him. However, I was told about his curriculum vitae and the fact that he had been a great servant of County Roscommon, having been an excellent footballer who had represented his county, and had knowledge of the health service and that he would be an ideal candidate to be chair of a board. I was particularly taken by the idea that, being from County Roscommon, we would send a very clear message that the hospital groups would be representative of the hospitals in the entire group, not just the large university hospital at the centre of them.

I regret that Mr. Daly did not declare his shareholding in the company. I think he was concerned about his reputation being damaged and that of the group and that is why he stood down and I accepted his resignation.

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