Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was responsible in two ways, first as leader of the Fine Gael Party and second as Taoiseach. In respect of the Fine Gael Party, I have already pointed out that the system that the party had in place internally was not followed through. I noted reports today in some of the newspapers suggesting, for instance, that members of the executive council of Fine Gael were disappointed that there was a perception that they were being blamed. The fact of the matter is that when former Senator Deirdre Clune was elected to the European Parliament, a vacancy arose in the Seanad. The sub-committee of the executive council considered the position. There were 44 nominations, or 29 names, submitted, and the executive council made two recommendations. Subsequently, Deputy McGinley said he was going to retire. That left a vacancy for a major political representative for half of Donegal. I looked at Mr. McNulty's credentials and said he was a candidate who would fit the bill in terms of work in the Seanad. I discussed the workings of the Seanad and its political agenda with him. We never discussed anything about cultural boards. In the course of the validation process and preparing the criteria, the Fine Gael personnel did not go back to the executive council. I was upset about that because it was set up for that purpose. I accepted responsibility for that flaw in that system and am rectifying it.

In a broader sense, I now want to move on with the reform agenda. The Government has already carried out reforms in terms of corporate donations, gender balance, gender quotas and freedom of information. All of these issues have been dealt with, and here is another aspect of political reform that needs to be dealt with in everybody's interest. There are very good people who will not serve on public bodies or boards in any circumstances because of the likelihood of their being pilloried as being associates of political parties, cronies or otherwise.

That is why an external, independent validation of all of these is necessary.

Deputy Adams made the point that the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Humphreys, breached the ceiling in terms of the number of personnel serving on the State boards. In the case of State boards, the Government made a commitment, which has not been followed through fully, that numbers on boards would be reduced from 15 members to nine members. That has not been followed through because many of the cultural institutions fought valiantly for the retention of their independence. Some of them were quite vociferous on that. The National Concert Hall Bill is on the A list for determination during this session.

There were six vacancies on the board of IMMA and the Minister chose to make two appointments. She made them in her own right as Minister, based on the credentials of the candidates.

See this speech in context