Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It would seem that every effort is being made by the Minister, Deputy Noonan, and others in Fine Gael to move on from Mr. McNulty's appointment to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art to allow him to qualify for the Seanad by-election. This is not going to happen until the basic questions are answered about the whole debacle. Some are saying this is an internal matter for Fine Gael when, in fact, it is far from that. We have the ludicrous situation in which the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, has not addressed this House or taken questions about her involvement in this matter, yet she was able to address the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party last night. She issued a press release on Tuesday night which said she had appointed Mr. McNulty to IMMA on his merits and she was aware that he was one of many people being considered for the Seanad vacancy. The Taoiseach is blaming unnamed Fine Gael officials and has apologised for what he wants us to believe is a complete coincidence, with Mr. McNulty's selection for the Seanad by-election being entirely separate from his appointment to IMMA. This is the IMMA board which had its membership extended to facilitate such an appointment.

Last week the Tánaiste stated her preference for a public appointments board to make State appointments but, other than that, the silence from the Labour Party has been deafening. Does the Tánaiste believe that Mr. McNulty's appointment to the IMMA board was a coincidence and not linked to the Seanad by-election? Had she reservations about this appointment and did she speak to the Taoiseach about it? Does she find it acceptable that the IMMA board was increased in size to facilitate this appointment in such a short space of time rather than waiting until a vacancy arose? Are we to believe that this is yet another coincidence? Does the Tánaiste not agree that the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, should come into the Dáil to answer questions on this issue? Can the Tánaiste confirm whether the Labour Party will be voting for Mr. McNulty?

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