Shane Ross (Independent)

It probably is a little late to ask for a debate on FÁS. We should have had such a debate some time ago. The Seanad is particularly strong on post-mortems but not on anticipating or discussing topical issues. However, I ask of the Leader to allow time to address this or an allied subject rapidly. While I welcome the resignation of Rody Molloy, it would be wrong to happily regard him as some sacrificial lamb who can be thrown to the wolves after which the issue is over. Others may be equally culpable and should be answerable to a House of the Oireachtas or an Oireachtas committee. I am talking about boards. I refer to a serious issue, to which Senator Fitzgerald referred, regarding the boards of semi-State bodies. Those who serve on such boards are well paid, with five figure sums and more, and it is extraordinary how they behaved in this case. Members are entitled to ask how they behaved and whether they behaved properly or represented the taxpayer properly.

The boards of semi-State bodies are appointed by the Minister. The boards seem to be extraordinarily and cosily happy with what is going on and do not appear to be very critical. One never knows what goes on because the minutes of boards never are released to the public. I am not sure whether the Committee of Public Accounts or the Seanad should not seek those minutes and ask that they be seen by the public to ascertain what was happening. If the people in question knew what was happening, they should have stopped it. It appears that at least one member of the board of FÁS travelled very expensively; he made a transatlantic return trip that cost €7,300. If board members did not know this was going on, they also are culpable because they ought to have known.

One must ask the reason social partners constantly and automatically are appointed to certain State boards. Is it simply a nice little gig for them as they sit there, receiving €10,000 plus a year, rising to €20,000 plus a year for the chairman? It appears as though they nod through expenses or do not know about them, attend board meetings every month and then go home. It seems that these people did not know what was happening. One former board member stated on radio yesterday that he was not aware of such practices. If that is the case, he also is culpable.