The prison visiting committees are venal in composition and their membership reads like a roll call of Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats activists from almost every corner of the country. They include no less than five former Fianna Fáil Ministers of State, two former Deputies, including one from the Progressive Democrats, and a former Cathaoirleach of this House. The Wheatfield visiting committee comprises one former Minister of State, six Fianna Fáil county councillors and one Progressive Democrats county councillor. Four of its members come from County Kerry, at least two of whom are Fianna Fáil associates of the last Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. None of the committee's 12 members is from Dublin and only two come from adjoining counties. Fine Gael does not contend that politicians should be barred from membership of prison visiting committees, nor does it demand the placing of a cordon sanitaire around members of political parties in terms of these appointments. However, the committees should not be populated exclusively by party hacks who criss-cross the country to pick up expenses.