Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be saying he is not qualified; I look forward to hearing it. Whether one agrees with the trade union movement, most people acknowledge that Mr. Begg has played a very substantial role in it. I think some of the Deputy's colleagues in the Technical Group would acknowledge that the trade union movement has been hugely beneficial to workers and the protection of their interests, including their pensions. With others, the Deputy has rightly criticised what happened to the Aer Lingus workers. That came about as a result of the actions of their own trustees and, I argue, inadequate oversight by the Pensions Authority. The approach was one of self-regulation, in other words, asking pension funds if they had enough. Everyone thinks that is fine. Have we not learned any lesson? The pension sector is in radical need of reform.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh suggested that if Mr. Begg was so qualified, it would have been better to ring him to ask him to apply. That sounds good and I initially thought it was not a bad idea. Is it sufficient to have the charade of reform without actually changing how the system works? Often in this country it is decided in advance who will get a position, yet it is advertised and people apply for it. Those advertising the position know who they want and why they want him or her. This is called head-hunting and it is done in the private sector. We think the processes in the public sector should mirror more closely the appointment processes in the private sector, yet when it happens, we take huge issue with it. If one is to head-hunt a person, one should telephone him or her to ask him or her to apply. If one does not want to go through the Public Appointments Service process and let it decide, one should at least be open and honest about it.

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