Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

In this legislation, the Digital hub is being given a commercial mandate. There is no policy involved; it is a commercial operation. More generally – this is where we differ – I believe that a chief executive should not comment on Government policy before Oireachtas committees. One may point out that he can do so at other committees or outside the committee, but we all know Oireachtas committees are political maelstroms. Of course the Opposition would use the opportunity to get at the chief executive, who should be independently appointed. It would put the chief executive in the embarrassing position of having to make comments on political matters and Government policy. That is unfair.

I caution the Senators that while it all sounds nice and open and in the spirit of transparency, in reality, if the independently appointed chief executive of any body comes before an Oireachtas committee, the Senators know as well as I that he or she will be used as a political instrument to get at the Government. The chief executive would be put in the invidious position of having to comment on Government policy whether he or she liked it. This measure is important as protection.