Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister emphasised that this person was recruited by the Department in respect of a very important job relating to the five-year Creative Ireland programme. When was she approached with the news that the person was going to leave the Department and be transferred to another post? Was a written request submitted to her? The then Taoiseach announced the appointment of this person. Can the Minister talk the House through this? When was he originally appointed to the post? He is a very fine civil servant and I have experience of his work myself. I am not in any way being critical of him. However, this is important. The Minister told our colleague how important Creative Ireland is and she got a person of some standing to lead it. However, when the new Taoiseach came to office, that person was plucked away. Was there any correspondence with the Minister's Department? Was a request made and was the Secretary General of the Department consulted before this person left a job to which he had only recently been appointed and in which he seemed very happy? I met him, as did lots of other people, at different functions before he was spirited away to head a Government political communications unit. Can the Minister advise the House of her role in this matter?

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