In 1997, at the same time that Mr. Burke was appointed a member of the Government, the Taoiseach appointed Liam Lawlor as a member of a Dáil committee on ethics. Members of Fianna Fáil will say, "But we didn't know anything about Liam Lawlor. We didn't know anything about Deputy Ellis's peculiar business arrangements, and we didn't know anything about Deputy Foley's peculiar banking arrangements. We didn't know anything about Frank Dunlop's activities in Dublin County Council, either."