Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will bear your advice in mind, a Cheann Comhairle, as I put my question to the Taoiseach. Did officials in the Department of the Taoiseach or the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government question the appointment of the deputy chairperson in the light of the possibility of a conflict of interest due to his former position with RPS, a private consultancy firm?

Yesterday, the Taoiseach made reference to positions on State boards having to be publicly advertised. Could the Taoiseach clarify this for the Dáil? Is the Taoiseach not aware that the position of deputy chairperson of An Bord Pleanála was not advertised? That begs a response from the Taoiseach. Does the Taoiseach agree that a situation whereby the deputy chairperson of An Bord Pleanála is overseeing planning applications drawn up by his former employees may represent a conflict of interest?

Yesterday I asked the Taoiseach to facilitate the scrutiny by the Dáil of proposed nominees for the post of European Commissioner. The Taoiseach refused to answer the question. It is a perfectly reasonable request. As the Taoiseach famously said, Paddy needs to know. Paddy and Patricia need to know. I believe the Dáil has a responsibility to scrutinise any of these nominees and I call on the Taoiseach to facilitate such a process.

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