SF wants all-party decision

The appointment to the European Investment Bank of Mr Hugh O'Flaherty, the former Supreme Court judge, should be referred to an independent all-party commission, according to the president of Sinn Fein.

Mr Gerry Adams said that the appointment of Mr O'Flaherty had contributed to a "crisis of confidence" in politics in this State.

"One way of the Government helping to restore confidence would be to appoint an independent all-party commission with representatives of civic society who would review the methodology of nominations for these prestigious positions and draw up codes and regulations", Mr Adams told reporters.

"If the Government is insisting on going forward with Hugh O'Flaherty, they should put his name forward to this commission along with other suitable candidates."

Mr Adams was in Tallaght, Co Dublin, to open a new constituency office for Dublin South West. He said he feared that political decisions such as the appointment of Mr O'Flaherty would disillusion the electorate.

"There has been a subversion of politics here, ironically enough by some of those who spent a very long time condemning the likes of me and the party which I represent. People disillusioned by what has happened may just be turned off politics entirely, may think that all the parties are tarred with the one brush.

"If they are angry about what is happening, they should not abandon politics, because the big parties will get their machines working, on the day they will get the party faithful out, and then there won't be any change. In five or six years' time, you'll still have the same controversy, the same type of golden circle."