Selection for semi-State posts comes under attack

Demands for the establishment of an independent appointments commission have been made as further details emerged of almost 60 appointments to semi-State organisations by five departing Government Ministers.

Ministers Mr John O'Donoghue, Mr Dermot Ahern, and Mr Noel Demspey, along with former Ministers Mrs Mary O'Rourke and Mr Frank Fahey made the last- minute appointments. Those appointed include former Ministers Mr David Andrews, Mr Michael O'Kennedy, Mr Gene Fitzgerald and former Senator Mr Tom Fitzgerald.

One of the most high- profile appointees is Mr Ivor Fitzpatrick, nominated to the board of Aer Lingus by former Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs Mary O'Rourke. Mr Fitzpatrick is a prominent Dublin solicitor who acts for former Taoiseach Mr Charles Haughey. He succeeds Ms Rose Hynes, executive vice-president of AirFinance BV, who was on the board since 1997.

A former junior Minister in Mr Haughey's government was one of three appointments by former Minister for the Environment, Mr Noel Dempsey, to the Housing Finance Agency, which gives loans to local authorities for housing. Cllr Lorcan Allen, from Co Wexford, who was last in the Dáil in 1982, was a Minister of State for Agriculture.

Mrs O'Rourke, who lost her Dáil seat,, made 14 appointments to high profile boards, including Bord Gáis, An Post, the ESB as well as Aer Lingus. Mr Paul Kavanagh, a Fianna Fáil fundraiser who gave evidence to the Moriarty tribunal, was appointed to An Post and her former education advisor, Ms Margaret Walsh, to the board of CIÉ. Despite not being a sitting TD, Mrs O'Rourke retained her portfolio as Minister until the appointment of a new Cabinet on Thursday.

Former Senator Tom Fitzgerald, who retired last month on health grounds, has been appointed by Mr O'Donoghue as an assistant film censor. He is one of five people from Co Kerry among the 13 appointees made by the former Minister for Justice. He also appointed former Ministers Andrews and O'Kennedy, both senior counsels, to the Refugee Appeals Board. Mr O'Kennedy was also appointed by Mr Ahern to the board of the new Family Support Agency, established under legislation last year by the then Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern. He and Mr Fahey issued statements on the appointments.

Mr Ahern made some 20 appointments, including nine to the Family Support Agency and nine to the Dormant Accounts Disbursements Fund. They included former Lord Mayor Mr Michael O'Halloran, the first pensioner ever appointed to the pensions board, and Ms Carmel Foley, director of the Office of Consumer Affairs.

Mr Frank Fahey, appointed Mr Patrick Gallagher, director of Gallagher Seafoods and Ms Mary Dooley, bursar of NUI Galway to BIM and three new people to Coillte along with the foresty agency's chief executive, Mr Martin Lowry, who was re-appointed. Mr Demspey appointed Meath councillor Mr Tommy Reilly to the Housing Finance Agency and Wexford Councillor Gus Byrne to the National Building Agency.

Fine Gael, who have recently overturned their decision to ban corporate donations to the party, said an independent body "blind to political allegiance" should select people on merit alone. Fine Gael TD Mr Denis Naughten said it was "reckless" for Ministers to "stuff State boards with last-minute appointees whose main qualificiation is that they are friends or close associates of Fianna Fáil". Sinn Féin TD Mr Seán Crowe echoed the call for a public appointments commission and said "these people may all be very able and worthy appointments, but this looks like jobs for the boys, personal patronage with influential public positions".