Eoghan Harris (Independent)

I ask the Leader to convey to his party that it should consider the difference between the verb "Is" and the verb "Tá", the former being a permanent position and the latter being a contingent condition. People put up with minor corruption when an economy is booming but the smallest bonus in the public sector arouses major public anger. Everything must be considered in context now. The three main parties have certain obligations to the Irish people, who have shown in polls that they require large degrees of consensus on delicate matters such as the Northern Ireland peace process. Resolving the matter of appointments to State boards is easily resolved. If the Government insists on appointing people to State boards, it will find the level of public anger will be of the same degree as the anger about bonuses in the public sector and it will cost the Government parties dearly at the polls. Common sense should tell them to think twice.