Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I also support the amendment, although the Minister did give an explanation the other day of why it was not required. If the Government wants something done, it can work through civil servants. This is an effective way of getting things done: it can issue instructions, change policy and so on. However, if the State sets up a separate authority with a chairman and board and entrusts it with the responsibility of carrying out a task – we could be talking about Bord na Móna, the ESB or the National Tourism Development Authority – it is giving it power and should, therefore, make public what it is asking it to do. If the State, through the Minister, is going to interfere and ask it to do other things, we should take responsibility back from the authority, keep it in the Civil Service and have things done by the Minister. If the Minister is going to make changes in what he asks the authority to do, he should publish this information and make it clear that he is changing his instructions.