Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

During that period 1994 to 1997, I noticed the carve-up and I spoke to Ministers in Government at that time when they had difficulty carving up various boards because all three parties, Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left, had to be catered for. In many instances they appointed good people and perhaps this is a preferable way to do it than the way we are doing it. To some extent over the past ten years, we have allowed the permanent government, the public service, to be so influential with regard to many of those nominees. I agree the public service should have an influence but ultimately the Government is the primary body. I do not agree that it should be delegated to some unelected authority to be accountable for it.