Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I indicated in my reply to the previous amendment tabled by Deputy Calleary, under the system in place for dealing with vacancies, the Public Appointments Service operates a competition and delays do not arise in seeking to fill such positions. The positions in question are important as the relevant bodies have a legal obligation to meet quorums, which are important for the continuing operation of their work. This is set out in the legislation, which creates a framework within which maximum speed is applied to fill vacancies. It also makes provision to allow for temporary step-ups in the case of unforeseen events or where a competition takes longer to complete and notice must be given. The current system provides the flexibility the new commission will need to do its work. It should also be noted that the appointments in question are not made by Ministers. For these reason and the reasons I outlined in response to Deputy Calleary's amendment, I cannot accept the proposal.

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