Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach says he has many more important issues to deal with but he is the Taoiseach and cannot dictate to the Opposition what questions we ask. Yesterday he told the Dáil there were 29 nominees to the Seanad vacancy for which he interviewed Mr. John McNulty. Was he the only Fine Gael nominee he interviewed? Yesterday the Taoiseach said that during the course of the validation and eligibility process, Mr. McNulty expressed a desire to serve on a cultural body. Today the Taoiseach says he did not raise this with him. To whom did he express that desire? Can the Taoiseach tell the Dáil who forwarded Mr. McNulty's CV to the Minister, Deputy Humphreys? Was anyone else's CV forwarded to her? Who authorised the sending of Mr. McNulty's CV to the Minister?

The Taoiseach states the Minister appointed Mr. McNulty to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in her own right. In other words, he implies it had nothing to do with him, and that there were two separate processes. However, the Government quota of nine nominees to the board was already filled. Therefore, the nominations the Minister was about to make breached the Government's ceiling. I note the absence of Labour Ministers in the Chamber again. Was the Labour leader, the Tánaiste, consulted on this?

The Taoiseach also states he accepts responsibility for the Fine Gael Party officials bringing Mr. McNulty's interest in serving on a State board to the attention of a Minister, but he says it was nothing to do with him and that it was a separate process. If it was nothing to do with him, how is he responsible?

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