Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

——but not in such a blatant manner as this Government and its predecessor. Regardless of whether appointments to port authorities, semi-State bodies, prison visiting committees or other bodies are in question, the age of dishing out jobs for the boys and girls is alive and well. On a recent "Prime Time" programme on RTE a former Fianna Fáil Minister of State said the bottom line was whether a person was "one of theirs" before he or she could be appointed to any political board. So much for ability, knowledge and job experience. So much for accountability and transparency. There is nothing but blatant cronyism and political patronage for party hacks who toe the line for the Minister. Senator Mansergh has just said that one must have people who will do this.

A token independent-minded person may be appointed from time to time but the party grip on many of these bodies will be maintained, as has been stated. Surely it is time to take stock and call a halt to these practices. Picking the best and most qualified person should surely be the prerequisite for any appointment rather than ascertaining whether the appointee is a member of Fianna Fáil or the Progressive Democrats.

I was looking at letters recently and when I saw a letter from the Taoiseach asking the former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to consider the wife of a Fianna Fáil public representative when making an appointment to a committee, I noted that the practice is being condoned and encouraged from the very top in Fianna Fáil. My party obtained copies of further letters under the Freedom of Information Act indicating that the Ministers for Finance and Foreign Affairs, and other Ministers and Ministers of State, are not slow in making representations on behalf of party activists who wish to be appointed to State bodies and committees.

The Progressive Democrats are also quick off the mark in this respect. Letters on file from the programme manager for the Tánaiste indicate the same amount of representations are made on behalf of members of that party.