Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Before I forget, I would like to deal with the statement made by the Minister of State. I do not know what she is referring to in regard to pensioners. I was one of the people in this House who represented the deferred pensioners of Aer Lingus and the DAA in this House in regard to the conditions the Minister and the Government so ruthlessly imposed on them. I do not know to what she was referring, but I think she got it wrong. That is all right. I am used to her getting it wrong. I do not ask her to apologise, but would like the record to be corrected. She is wrong. I never did what she said. I represented the people to whom she referred - quite the opposite of what she said.

Deputy Spring made a statement suggesting I made representations for people to be put on a semi-State body. Since I have been a Member of the Dáil or the Seanad, I have frequently made suggestions about who should or should not be on semi-State bodies. Since I have been such a critic of the cronyism that has gone on, I have been asked frequently for new names and new suggestions for members and I have done that and am not ashamed of doing so. However, I am not going to name all of them tonight at the whim of Deputy Spring. Their names are on the record.

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