David Norris (Independent)

Thank you, a Chathaoirligh. I may not need all that time, but then I frequently say that and find I have not quite finished within the time.

This is an important debate. My colleague and friend, Senator Ross, has called for this debate over a considerable period of years. In some instances I have agreed with him, in particular some years ago when he proposed, and I seconded, a motion to examine the vexed question of political nominees to State boards. That was an important element and it is one of the matters highlighted in this debate. We also felt, when the Trinity Bill was being debated in the House, there was sometimes a danger in overloading important boards with State nominees. However, on a previous occasion a number of years ago when Senator Ross raised the matter of FÁS I took a slightly different view because I felt it was important to frontload the important work the organisation was doing. I did so at the time because I was living in a position of considerable privilege in the north inner city and I was aware the unemployment level in the area was 85%, which is staggering. When I presented this statistic to members of the European Commission in Brussels during a visit sponsored by Mr. Brendan Halligan, they refused to believe it and they sent officials to discover whether this could be true. Areas of Dublin some years ago had levels of unemployment higher than Naples. I was involved in the work FÁS did through the James Joyce Centre, which could not have continued to operate without the organisation's assistance. Every single penny was accounted for at that level and that casts into some relief the squandering of money but that needs to be nuanced as well.

In the current climate, it is comparatively easy for radio programmes and popular newspapers to stir up partially justified outrage but moderation and accuracy are also needed. For example, Fine Gael has made a meal out of this. I often agree with the party but I was not terribly impressed by the performance of Deputy Varadkar on radio, except for his theatrical propensity, which I admire. He got Deputy Harney's name wrong and he called for the resignation of Deputy Mary Hanafin several times. That was not corrected but perhaps everybody knew who he was talking of, although that does not suggest the remorseless attention to detail he requires of other people. The Sunday Independent got the year wrong, which was corrected subsequently. A radio reporter accused the Green Party, so ably represented in the House by Senators Boyle and de Búrca, of putting out a statement of support, which apparently did not happen. These are three instances of inaccuracy, which one would not expect of people who had long prepared an attack on certain levels of FÁS.

I mentioned the matter of representation on the FÁS board. The chairman is Peter McLoone, former president of the ICTU. Perhaps I should not name these people, even though this has been done widely. The board also comprises representatives of the Ministers for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Education and Science, Finance and Social and Family Affairs, the trade union sector and employers, including a representative of one of the largest and most successful builders in the country. Is that appropriate? Certain people have objected to the involvement of the social partners but the same people, mostly on this side of the House, object to the whole idea of social partnership. I do not but I understand their reserve. It is a highly principled position to take because they refer to the short-circuiting of the parliamentary process. However, they have a wide representative capacity and they have what Gerry Adams used to call their mandate and it would ill behove Members who were elected with a small number of votes on the basis of delegated universal suffrage to——