State board appointment scrutiny
Billy Kelleher questions whether the Government still supports its commitment to have State board nominees appear before Oireachtas committees. The Taoiseach says the commitment remains and that chairpersons of important bodies should be scrutinised.
I was reading through the programme for Government again in the past few days. One might question my motivation for doing so.
Comment on this
It is rapidly becoming a fictional document, if it was ever factual in the first place. However, it contains a commitment regarding State board appointments and other appointments made by Ministers whereby all such appointees would appear before various Oireachtas committees to be scrutinised.
That was a key area to be addressed in the democratic revolution that was promised by this Government. It has not happened in my area - health - or broadly across all areas of the Government and State. Does that commitment still exist? Does it require legislation or changes in Standing Orders? What is the reason for the delay? Is it just that the political will has evaporated into the ether?
Comment on this
I am very glad Deputy Kelleher continues to read the programme for Government. That is good. I know he has it with him in his car. I hope he does not read it when he is stopped at the traffic lights but only reads it in his spare time.
The requirement is for the chairpersons of bodies to appear before the committees. If any chairperson of an important body has not appeared before a committee, we should look into that. The commitment still stands and, to my knowledge, a number of the chairpersons have appeared before committees to discuss their experience, their expertise and what they bring to the different bodies to which they have been appointed.