Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to make the point. I am going to make the point. He applied for a job in a multinational with cloud computing. There were 5,000 applications and less than ten were accepted of which his was one. The point I am going to make to Deputy Martin is one that he will appreciate. He wanted to do his public duty and give service but because the firm does not give him time off, he took ten days' holidays to attend to his public service duty. Yet he is branded as a crony and a lackey, which is wrong. I am sick of that situation and now we are going to change it. From 1 November, this will not apply any more.

In his opening question, Deputy Martin made another point. When I interviewed John McNulty - who was very forthright again this morning on radio and is an excellent candidate - I never discussed anything with him about cultural boards or any other boards. I discussed with him his potential as a Senator to do a political job because this was a political seat for the Fine Gael Party, which arose from the election of Deirdre Clune to the European Parliament. That assertion was made yesterday evening as well. John McNulty never discussed with me anything to do with boards, culture or anything else. We discussed the operation of the Seanad and his capacity to be a good Senator and serve in the area he comes from.

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