asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development the reasons for the departure from the precedent of having an independent chairman of NESC.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - NESC Chairman.
3.
The Constitution and Terms of Reference of the National Economic and Social Council indicate that the membership of the council shall comprise a chairman appointed by the Government in consultation with the interests represented on the council. This procedure was followed. A number of names were canvassed and the only person who was acceptable to all the interest groups was subsequently appointed as chairman.
The Government expect the new chairman to act independently in his chairmanship of the council. I totally refute the implication in the Deputy's question that the new chairman will not act independently or that he was appointed in order to curtail the independence of the council. There is no such intention.
Would the Minister not agree that, even though the nominated chairman is of very high calibre, the fact is that he is the secretary of a Government Department and in that sense is not independent of the Government?
I recognise that he is the secretary of a Government Department. Could I point out that the predecessor to the NESC, the National Industrial Economic Council, was for many years chaired by Senator Whitaker, who was then secretary of a Government Department, and I do not recall a suggestion at any stage that he failed to act independently or fairly.
The Minister will agree that that previous body is not the same as this body because this is a much wider body which was set up with the intention of providing a forum for discussion and to give advice to the Government. From the public's point of view, it would be much more desirable if it was seen that the chairman was independent of the Government themselves. I want to be quite careful and say that the man in question is a man of extremely high calibre and the Minister is lucky to have him as secretary of his Department, but at the same time he is too near the Government to be seen to act independently.
I do not accept that because the present body has a wider membership it is in any way more entitled to free and independent discussion than its predecessor. I am sure the Deputy did not imply that but nonetheless there was the inference that because it was a more broadly based council than its predecessor that in some sense——
And has somewhat different terms of reference.
May I point out that the terms of reference of its predecessor also entitled it to offer advice, opinions and so forth to the Government. I want to make the point that because the present body comprises a wider range of representative groups, it is more difficult to reach agreement on the chairman. If you asked my preference it would be that we would prefer to get somebody who would be clearly seen to be totally independent and at arm's length from the Government, but I have to say that the only person acceptable to all the interest groups from the many names put forward was the name of the person appointed as chairman.
Does the Minister really mean that of all the names suggested to him or who he brought forward, the only person acceptable by all the interest groups——
I really mean that. I spent many months looking for a chairman.
I would love to see the list.
I can assure the Deputy that many names were suggested by different interest groups in the council but a name proposed by one group was not necessarily acceptable to all the other interest groups. I mean what I said.
Can the Minister assure the House that the new chairman will be allowed to act in an independent way?
I have gone to great lengths in my reply to add that supplementary information to make the point that there was no intention to restrict his independence and that he is to act independently.