Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

Women too. They are entrusted with the task of electing more than two-thirds of the membership of this House. Many members of the Cabinet should remember that they started on the greasy pole as councillors themselves.

I raise the matter because in the past couple of days a particular example has come to light. A number of appointments had to be made to Shannon Foynes Port Company, a body of which I was proud to be a member for 18 years. For the first time, no member of Kerry County Council was appointed to that body, at a time when the biggest single energy project is about to take off in Ballylongford. If there is such a settled opinion, let the Cabinet say so and we will deal with it. If there is no such settled opinion, let that be clarified. It is time to bring this to a head. There is much disquiet about it.