Far be it from me to burst Deputy Adams's balloon in respect of what the Government has promised on reform in this House. Is it the case that prior to Christmas legislation was introduced regarding the management of the Houses of the Oireachtas? At the time the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, promised to make a considerable amendment to the way in which senior staff of the House are appointed. As the Taoiseach is aware, the current legislation, the 1959 Act, provides a less-than-transparent methodology for appointing senior people to the House and it is still in place. The expectation from this side was that the legislation brought forward at the time would be amended, as the Minister promised at the time, in the early part of this year.

The Taoiseach will be aware that a senior member of the staff of this House is due to retire soon.

I am asking the Taoiseach, in line with his great pronouncements today about his willingness to reform the outdated procedures of this House, if he will ensure amending legislation is brought forward so the appointment, as expected, will be dealt with in a more transparent way in line with the procedures followed by the Public Appointments Service rather than the antiquated process dating back to 1959.

What is the Deputy saying?

Do I have to make it simpler? Does the Taoiseach need me to give it to him in writing? I will try to help when the chorus behind the Taoiseach finishes. Does the Taoiseach intend to bring forward amending legislation for the way in which senior staff of this House are appointed to bring it in line with a more transparent process or does he intend to maintain the status quo until a senior member of the staff of this House is appointed by the Taoiseach and the Ceann Comhairle, as outlined in the 1959 Act?

I intend to see that any appointments that are made are absolutely transparent and accountable to the House.

I compliment my colleague opposite on keeping a totally straight face during that discourse.

I want to deal with this issue. The Taoiseach has addressed it in a glib way. Either we are serious about reforming this House or we are not. With respect, the Minister promised that amending legislation would be brought forward and at the time we agreed with the passage of the Bill in the expectation that amending legislation would be brought forward in the first quarter of the year. We are now into the second quarter and there is a serious appointment to be made in the House. My question is simple. Are we going to do deal with this transparently or are we going to go back and do it as we did in the 1950s?

The Taoiseach gave Deputy Adams a load of babble about his frustration with the time taken up by questions and legislation and how we have sat longer and longer. It sounded fantastic but here is a concrete issue on which the Taoiseach can live up to commitments made by the Government in December, even after the election and the programme for Government.

I have called Deputy Durkan. There are only three minutes left.