asked the Taoiseach if he will give a list of all civil servants and ex-civil servants in all State boards under the aegis of his Department; and the fees and expenses payable to each such person at 31 December 1981 and 31 March 1982.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State Boards.
2.
The information requested by the Deputy in respect of State boards under the aegis of my Department is contained in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
National Board for Science and Technology.
Mr. Michael Manahan, Department of the Taoiseach, is a member of the board. He does not receive any fees in respect of board membership. Expenses incurred in attending meetings may be refunded, in accordance with normal Civil Service regulations. There are no other Civil Servants or ex Civil Servants on the Board.
National Economic and Social Council.
The following Civil Servants are members of the Council:—
|
Mr. M. F. Doyle |
Department of Finance |
|
Mr. I. O'Fionnghalaigh |
Department of Labour |
|
Mr. D. Condon |
Department of Health |
|
Mr. J. O'Mahony |
Department of Agriculture |
|
Mr. J. Holloway |
Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism |
|
Mr. G. A. Meagher |
Department of Environment |
Dr. Noel Whelan, former Secretary of my Department, is Chairman of the Council.
The following are also members of the Council:—
|
Mr. T. F. Ó Cofaigh |
(ex Civil Servant) |
|
Dr. B. Menton |
(ex Civil Servant) |
|
Miss A. Lavan |
(ex Civil Servant) |
|
Mr. P. Cassells |
(ex Civil Servant) |
|
Mr. D. Murphy |
(Civil Servant on secondment) |
|
Mr. D. Nevin |
(ex Civil Servant) |
No fee is payable to persons in respect of their membership of the Council. Meetings are held in Dublin and the travel and subsistence allowances applicable in the Civil Service are payable as appropriate.
The Arts Council
Mr. Richard Stokes, Department of the Taoiseach, is a member of the Council. Mr. James White, former Director of the National Gallery, is Chairman of the Council and a fee of £1,000 is payable in respect of this position. Members of the Council are reimbursed any expenses incurred through attendance at Council meetings or in connection with the business of the council, in accordance with normal Civil Service regulations. Fees are not paid to the members.
The National Concert Hall
Mr. Richard Stokes, Department of the Taoiseach, is a director of the company. Mr. Gerard Victory, who is a former Civil Servant, is a director of the company.
The directors of the company are paid or refunded all travelling and other expenses incurred by them in attending meetings of the board or in connection with the business of the company, in accordance with normal Civil Service regulations. Fees are not paid to directors.
Are fees paid to any of the people concerned?
The only bodies involved are the NESC, the Arts Council and the National Concert Hall and there are no fees paid in any case.
That is what I thought.
We are purer than pure and I can only wish that the same could have been said about the administration of which the Deputy was a member.
Perhaps the Taoiseach would answer my question without wandering any further afield.
Sotto voce.
Is it the practice that where public servants serve on boards in this capacity during their working hours, they are not paid any additional subvention apart from travel expenses and so on?
I am speaking from recollection but I understand that to be the situation. This matter came up some years ago but so far as I know civil servants serving on these boards are expected to serve as part of their normal duties.
Would the Taoiseach agree that the word, "purer than pure" has lost its meaning vis-à-vis its definition in the Oxford Dictionary?
Are there not three words involved?