Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

Senator O'Toole made two interesting points. Undoubtedly, accountability should be a narrower concept than responsibility which is broad ranging. Accountability, particularly in a financial context, is precise. I deprecate the growing practice, particularly in journalism, whereby accountability equates with "he or she ought to resign." It is effectively used as a euphemism, which is regrettable. One should not equate accountability with that simpliciter.

I regard myself as a public servant of 35 years standing and hope I will be able to get as far as 40 years service, not for pension-related reasons I hasten to add. That is the average or full length of a public servant's career, although sometimes people go on for slightly longer than this.

I agree with Senator O'Toole that there should not be much of a distinction. Obviously, the roles of a civil servant and an elected politician are different but "public servant" covers the matter more broadly. The fact that salaries are now linked to Civil service Grades, in a sense, underlines the point. As somebody who has occupied many roles from civil servant, to an adviser, to a Senator, to a Deputy and to a Minister of State, I see far more in common with these roles than a distinction that one is serving the State in different roles. What one learns in each of these roles may well be of assistance as one moves to another role.