Advice sought on FF State posts

TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny revealed he was seeking legal advice on removing those appointed to State boards by the previous government before leaving office.

Mr Kenny said “what happened in the hiatus between the election and the formation of the new Government was disgraceful”.

He added that one of the commitments in the programme for government was for an Oireachtas oversight committee where those who wished to be considered for important positions on semi-State boards and in semi-State agencies would appear to put forward their credentials.

Mr Kenny was replying to Shane Ross (Ind) who urged measures “to stop this culture of cronyism” by reversing decisions made by the outgoing Fianna Fáil government to appoint people on a blatantly political basis to semi-State boards on its last day in office.

“I refer specifically to a former Fianna Fáil TD and a former Fianna Fáil councillor,” Mr Ross added.

Mr Ross recalled that the then Fine Gael spokesman on enterprise, Richard Bruton, had said at the MacGill summer school, about eight months ago, his party would dismiss the boards of semi-State bodies when it came to power.

“His cheerleader on that day is sitting beside the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, who supported the policy,” he added.

Mr Ross said “many of us on the Independent benches see this as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, whereby when the Fianna Fáil guys go out, the Fine Gael and Labour Party guys come in”.

Mr Kenny said he was interested in men and women of competence and merit serving.

“The Fianna Fáil government made appointments based on friendship as distinct from merit,” the Taoiseach added.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said: “What about Fine Gael? What did Fine Gael do when it was in office?”

Fine Gael’s Jerry Buttimer replied: “Deputy Martin should look at this own record. Who did he appoint?”

Mr Kenny said the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, was preparing a memorandum on appointments to semi-State bodies and it would be discussed shortly. He said he had raised the matter before Brian Cowen had left office. “It is a disgrace that appointments were made by a number of ministers on their last day in office,” he added.