Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State and the Green Party motion. I was a civil servant in the Office of Public Works and the long tradition of integrity in the Civil Service is an asset to be acknowledged and has played a big part in the progress of the country since independence. It is equally important to support procedures underpinning and protecting that tradition of integrity and public service in this more complex world where the interface between public and private sectors carries many dangers to that tradition.

I support the early introduction of legislation or regulations to extend the code which applies to designated senior civil servants to comparable posts in the wider public service, including local authorities and State agencies.

As Senator Dearey noted, county managers are among the most powerful groups in the country. The extent of their role and remit places them in an extremely powerful position.

When public servants are engaged in approving permissions or funding which have benefits for the private sector vigilance is required, as proposed in the renewed programme for Government. In addition to being concerned about employment or consultancy engagement in the year after retirement, we should be equally concerned with restricting discussions between senior public servants and potential employers in the period before they retire. Such discussions or agreements in principle about possible employment or consultancy after retirement pose even greater dangers to good practice. If such discussions take place prior to retirement, they have the potential to influence decisions while the public servant in question is still in post.

The key screening body will be the outside appointments board established by the Minister for Finance and comprising of five members, three of whom, including the chairperson, will be drawn from the private sector, while the remaining two will be the Secretary General to the Government and Secretary General of the Department of Finance. The chairperson of the board will report annually to the Government. I call for greater transparency in the work of the outside appointments board, especially given that its remit will be extended to the wider public service.

I do not support the amendment tabled by Senators O'Toole and Ross as it does not relate to the ethical behaviour agenda of the motion. While it is concerned with a legitimate issue, namely, the technical expertise available to the Government and Civil Service, it should be considered on another occasion. The amendment risks diluting the focus on the core ethical objectives of the main motion. I congratulate my Green Party colleagues on tabling this motion.