Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Finance the details of representations made by the Government regarding the appointment of a person (details supplied) as the head of the World Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13370/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The executive directors of the World Bank board are charged under the bank's articles of agreement with the selection of the bank's president. On 31 March last, the board met to unanimously endorse the sole nominee in the presidential selection process, Mr. Paul Wolfowitz, who was proposed on behalf of the United States of America. The decision was formalised via a short resolution and there was no vote. By convention, the US has always provided the president of the bank. During the meeting of the board which endorsed the nomination, the representative of the constituency comprising Ireland, Canada and the Caribbean emphasised the primary role of the World Bank as a development institution with the objective of poverty reduction.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Wolfowitz met representatives of European governments in Brussels to discuss the bank's development mission. These discussions were described as "constructive" by the Luxembourg Prime Minister, the current President of the EU Council of Ministers. I look forward to working with Mr. Wolfowitz on the prime objectives of the bank, including progressing development policy issues and poverty reduction.