Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This amendment seeks to extend what is provided for on page 27, line 18 to any person, not merely an applicant. The present text reads that an applicant shall not, in relation to the process of selection and recommendation, including any step and so on, canvas or attempt to influence part of the decision. Again, is it legitimate for the applicant’s wife or husband to do it? Is it permissible for a Deputy to do it? Is it permissible for anybody except the applicant to canvas an appointment? This is a perfectly straightforward amendment and I appeal to the Minister to consider that if she wants to stop canvassing, she should extend the prohibition to people who are not the applicant themselves.