I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the sideways move of Mr. Barry McSweeney, as he was described in the Government's statement, rather than as Dr. Barry McSweeney. Can the Taoiseach explain the newly-created role of chief science adviser, and how the appointee has been moved to another newly-created role, at the same pay, as research co-ordinator in the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources? Is this not almost a carbon copy of the "punishment" meted out to Mr. Michael Kelly, former Secretary General at the Department of Health and Children, when he was moved to the Higher Education Authority?

Many students and scientists who have been in contact with me, and I am sure with other Members, are incandescent with rage given the difference in treatment between themselves, whereby they are obliged to earn their PhDs the hard way, and that given to Mr. Barry McSweeney. The Tánaiste in particular has stated that a PhD was not a requirement for this position. Can the original job specification and list of required qualifications for the job of chief science adviser to the Government be viewed anywhere? When was the decision taken to have a chief science adviser? Was it before Mr. McSweeney became available and the then EU Commissioner Neil Kinnock had a word with the Tánaiste? Can we expect an Irish person who is beholden to his or her political masters to come clean and tell the Government if it goes wrong? I am unsure whether the Taoiseach is familiar with the work of Dr. David King in the United Kingdom. As its chief scientific adviser, he regularly——

Does the Deputy have a question?

——tells the Prime Minister exactly where he is going wrong, publically and in no uncertain terms. To prevent a recurrence of this problem, can we have an audit of all Government appointee qualifications, given that the Civil Service Commission did not have a role in this particular appointment? Are any other applicants interested in the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey's new post? It would be interesting to find out whether that is the case and whether there will be interviews. Has the Taoiseach learned nothing from this fiasco, which results from poor vetting and no competition? The Government proposes to appoint someone in another highly-paid position, again without a competition. Can the Government state whether anything has been learned from this fiasco?

The decision to appoint Barry McSweeney was made by the Government as part of a wider package of measures in the area of science co-ordination and oversight.

It was a massive oversight.

These measures were agreed in the summer of 2004. They included the creation of the post of chief science adviser to the Government and the appointment of Barry McSweeney to that post. A number of initiatives were announced such as setting up a Cabinet sub-committee, building on the major resources put into the programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, and into Science Foundation Ireland. At the time, Neil Kinnock stated that we were "over post" in our A1 posts. Barry McSweeney, who held an MSc from Trinity College, Dublin, apart from the controversial qualification——

An MSc.

——was head of the EU research institute and had 2,500 people under him. He had already been responsible for the Marie Curie EU fellowship programme for some years in the 1990s.

He set up BioResearch Ireland before that. For all these reasons, he was an eminent person for the post. However, a controversy about a qualification which Mr. McSweeney did not require has damaged the organisation.

He did not have the qualification.

In the past year, an examination of the strategic plan for science identified a need to have someone working in the areas of marine and energy.

It is a pity we did not have him before we bought the machines.

The Department had identified a requirement to fill this position. As Barry McSweeney is moving from his current post, it makes eminent sense to use his considerable expertise in this area.

It is interesting to note the number of questions the Taoiseach did not answer. He did not indicate whether any lessons have been learned or whether an open competition will be held for the post in the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The only qualification which makes an impact on Government appears to be the number of people working under a person. I presume, therefore, the Taoiseach is highly qualified in that regard. The issue would make an interesting analysis.

Has the Government learnt no lessons from this fiasco? Will the Taoiseach address the pattern by which the natural outcome of difficulties involving a Minister or Government appointee is to move the individual in question sideways?

The Deputy did the same in his own party.

Is this the best the Taoiseach can do to try to maintain the credibility of the scientific community and the Government? Did the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, offer to take Mr. McSweeney or was he asked to do so? May we analyse the process by which the appointment was made because it is important to know where it starts and finishes given that a great deal of public money as well as Ireland's credibility and that of its scientific community are at stake? How can scientists advising on research in the fields of energy, marine, communications and other technologies have confidence in a person who was effectively removed from a position on the basis of false qualifications? This is an important issue.

The Tánaiste lectures us on competition day in and day out. Where lies her credibility on the issue of competition when a word from a former leader of the British Labour Party is sufficient to make an appointment? That really takes the biscuit.

The potential coalition is creaking.

If her name was Blunkett, would she still be in office?

Neil Kinnock was head of staffing matters in the Commission. Ireland has been competent in having people appointed to the highest positions in the European institutions, as was the case with Mr. Barry McSweeney, a former head of the EU's Joint Research Centre. Not only did he have 2,600 people working under him, he also ran a highly structured organisation with a budget of €340 million. He came from a fellowship programme which he had built into a fine project and set up BioResearch Ireland.

He did not have a doctorate and was not qualified.

The Deputy's remarks are not acceptable.

He was found out.

I will not listen to Deputy Sargent talk about the credibility of science research. This Government set up Science Foundation Ireland and the PRTLI and has invested more than €1 billion in that area.

Has the Taoiseach learned no lessons?

No competition was held for the post.

The controversy which has developed about one issue does not detract from the credibility of a senior public official.

The Government appointed the wrong person.

When Mr. David O'Sullivan was appointed to one of the most important briefs in trade last week, it was another case of Ireland having an official competent to take up a senior position in Europe.

He is qualified.

They are people of the highest quality. If the name of the game is just to dump people on the street because of a bit of controversy, it will be a bad day for this country and one I do not like.

The Deputies' behaviour is reprehensible.

The reason a person with high qualifications who has become involved in controversy can move into another position is that work already under way had identified the need to have somebody——

That is rubbish.

It is not rubbish. What would the Deputy know about science or anything else for that matter?

When was the position identified?

God help Ireland if you ever got over here.

Those who know this business identified the position and the need for the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to strengthen its role in relation to research and development in the sectors within its remit, consistent with science policy.

This is waffle and spin.

In addition, it was decided that the Department should have somebody who would oversee the drive towards and establishment of a proposed new energy research council, that he or she should set the agenda of the council in accordance with the Department's analysis of the issue and provide analysis and opinion on all major policies in the energy research area.

The timing was fantastic.

When one has somebody good, competent and able to do a job in an area in which he or she will probably work alone and also able to run a budget of €340 million, it is not unusual that he or she would be an eminent person to fill a position. I wish Barry McSweeney well in the post.