Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. He mentioned Secretaries General. I have asked whether there is any other grade of principal officer or higher where we have set a fixed term. I am aware of fixed terms for Secretaries General. That is the specific one, because that is the equivalent role. That is the job. What other such positions in the service have a fixed term? I am not aware of any.

I would be much happier if a seven-year term were specified. The Minister of State has mentioned a seven-year term, and that could be sensible, but it would be better if he specified it in the legislation and if he specified that after seven years it goes back to the commission and someone could have their contract renewed. However, it is still preferable not to set those term limits. It does not give any additional flexibility. It effectively gives any future commission a stick that has not been there before. It is saying, "I don't like what you've done here, so I'm not renewing your contract".

The Minister of State says they could go into another role in the Oireachtas, but what other role could they go into? The only other role I can see for someone with that level of experience would be the Clerk of Dáil Éireann. However, that is one post. If it is already filled, where does the person go? If a threshold like that has been set, why in God's name would anyone want to get into this role? Why would the people with the levels of experience required to carry out this job apply for it when there is a set term limit and someone else is the Clerk of the Dáil so they cannot go any further? There would be nowhere for them to go within their career path.

We could end up with people who do not have the requisite experience, knowledge or ability. I have seen in my relatively short period in the Seanad that these are complicated roles. They oversee the running of the House, functions in the House, our constitutional details, and our legislative functions. We cannot just have anyone coming in from the outside and deciding how this would be done. On Second Stage, it was stated that those three posts are open not just to those within the service, but also to people from outside, from the private sector. I think that is wholly inappropriate for these particular roles. I am not happy with how it sits there. Maybe the Minister of State can give us some answers in that regard. Have term limits been imposed on any other equivalent principal officer or higher principal officer grades?