John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The Government decided to insert this standard provision which relates to civil servants, who are instruments of Government policy. The Government of the day is charged with making policy, determining objectives and imposing plans of action. It is simply not permissible for the chief executive of a board like the National Tourism Development Authority to express publicly the fact that he or she does not agree with Government policy. It is his or her function to implement Government policy and it would be highly inconsistent for him or her to decide to criticise such policy. He or she could not credibly carry on the duties and functions with which he or she has been charged under statute, including the implementation of Government policy, after making such criticisms.

Those who criticise the policies they are charged with implementing may become political footballs and be used by various groups to score political points from the Government of the day. It is not acceptable, irrespective of the Government which happens to be in office, for the chief executive of a national board to go around the country criticising Government policy. There are instances where this has happened in the past and it has never been helpful. Those who make such statements may do so with the best will in the world, but it is always utterly undesirable. If one wants to set policy, as opposed to implementing it, one has to make a straightforward decision to run for election. The people can decide if such persons should set policies or not. Those who do not run for election, but instead decide to become civil servants, have chosen a clear role for themselves. This is a free country.