Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am deeply disappointed by the almost knee-jerk reaction of the Minister to the amendment. What the Minister is proposing will massively load up the workload of the commission with repetitious applications. I was trying to put myself in the position of a person who had been recommended. If I had been recommended on a shortlist and subsequently read in Iris Oifigiúilthat Senator Norris had got the job rather than I and then a month later the process recommenced, I would say to myself, "Oh my God, do I have to go back, fill out all these forms again, go through the interview process again and be evaluated for inclusion on the shortlist against two other candidates who the commission thinks are also very good?" What is the purpose of this? Suppose that in February the commission recommends a particular person for appointment and in April it advertises a post and different candidates put their names forward and are interviewed. In that case, presumably, the same people would be interviewed a second time and a different shortlist would be sent to the Government.