Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Some of the agencies to which the other legislation refers manage huge sums of the taxpayer's money. The Minister of State indicated that the advice was provided by the draftsmen in the Attorney General's office. Was advice sought from the Attorney General rather than a draftsman or other official and, if so, did she provide a written response? Making deals between banks and people who owe money has been a cornerstone of this Government's policy on dealing with private debt. In 2013, the Taoiseach stated that the Government would do everything possible to ensure the banks entered into deals with those who owed money.Now the Government is saying that because deals were done or may be done, it will exclude those people from civic participation at the highest level in sport in our country. That is wrong. I have a list of sports personalities who are known to the Minister of State who have done deals with creditors, some of whom listened to the debate on this last week and others who have come forward since. These people will be excluded from even applying to the Minister of State or any Oireachtas committee to become a member of this new organisation.

I believe that, with or without the advice of the Attorney General, there is an issue in this regard. Senator Wilson has sought and received legal advice in regard to the unconstitutionality of this, but it is also wrong morally. It is wrong to exclude those people.