John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The chief executive officer is an instrument of Government policy and, as such, is neither the source of it nor the inspiration for it. It would be inappropriate for such an instrument of Government policy to criticise it. The individual concerned would be entering the political arena. Many members of Dáil committees are capable of questioning and offering political opinions. That is their democratic right. However, it is not the function of a public servant to comment on policy.