Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Putting the audit committee on a statutory basis reflects the fact that audit committees of other Departments have a statutory basis too. It gives some form of protection or architecture within which the audit committee can operate which is necessary because of the nature of its work and the sort of world we live in now. This is deemed to be good and best practice. This is not to suggest that it would not work on a non-statutory basis.

The Minister has considered Senator Twomey's amendment carefully and he appreciates its underlying logic but he believes that such an arrangement might best be left to political agreement on arrangement with the Whips. Appointments to this post must be made on the basis of competence and the skill to do the job. The availability of suitable individuals within political groupings of the House will vary from time to time, as I am sure Senator Twomey would agree.