Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)

Section 9 (11) relates to the appointment of a chief executive by the boards. In Shannon, and I presume the same is true for Cork, there is already a director who is the equivalent of a chief executive. Will the Minister clarify how the position of the person who is currently the director or chief executive of Shannon will be affected by the appointed of the chief executive of the new board? Will we have a situation where we have a former chief executive, regarded as a director, superseded by a new chief executive appointed by the board? What will happen in this situation given the undertakings given that staff and the people involved will not be discommoded by the new arrangement? I would like clarification from the Minister on this matter.

There is also detail in the Schedule relating to the appointment of the chief executive. In the Schedule the new chief executive can be removed by the directors, without the consent of the Minister. This is quite severe as we all know there have been problems with chief executives from time to time. Under the Schedule the chief executive would be ex officio a member of the new board. What relationship will there be between him and the existing director whom I regard as the chief executive? Will we have chief executive I and chief executive II?