David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The provision seems to place an unnecessary restriction on the chief executive. An inability to express an opinion seems a bit Stalinist, particularly about a policy that one is expected to administer and supervise. First, one feels that the Government is going wrong but then one is gagged. That is the kind of thing that went on in the Department of Finance immediately prior to the financial crash. In that situation people were not listened to, people were gagged and people were silenced and I think it is wrong.

What happened to the promise of open government? Let us have a bit of open government instead of stipulating civil servants and CEOs cannot do something. What about the ordinary members of the board? Can the Minister confirm whether the ordinary members of the board are allowed to express their opinions? Would such a situation undermine a chief executive? What happens if he or she knows the policy is wrong and does not express a view? He or she can be subsequently castigated for not expressing his or her view while junior members of the board express their views. There is nothing in the legislation that says that they cannot express their views. I would have thought that the primary consideration for a chief executive officer would be to tell the truth and to warn people if something is going wrong. It is for that reason that I strongly support the amendment.