asked the Taoiseach if he will state whether he is aware of the suggestion made by a Deputy at a meeting of the Laoighis County Council on November 7th and reported in the local Press, that the Local Appointments Commission, in recommending a particular person to fill a medical post in the county, were coerced into doing so by a resolution which had been adopted by the county council; and, if so, whether he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Laoighis County Post.
I presume that the post referred to is that of medical officer of the county home, Mountmellick. The recommendation of the Local Appointments Commissioners for the appointment of a candidate to fill this post was made in strict accordance with the relevant statutes and the regulations governing the competition for the post.
Am I to understand from the reply which the Taoiseach has given that Deputy Flanagan, when he suggested that the Local Appointments Commissioners had been coerced into making that appointment by the resolution passed by the Laoighis County Council, was not stating a fact?
There is nothing in any reports that I saw of the speech of the Deputy suggesting there was any coercion of the Local Appointments Commissioners.
I will send a copy of the report to the Taoiseach.
Is the Taoiseach aware that associated with this resolution were the names of Deputies Gorry and Boland?
That is not the point.
asked the Taoiseach if he will state whether he is aware of the suggestion made by a Deputy at a meeting of the Laoighis County Council on November 7th, and reported in the local Press, that in certain circumstances the Taoiseach would be prepared to bring pressure to bear on the Local Appointments Commission to appoint a candidate from a particular locality to a post which has been advertised to be filled on the recommendation of the commissioners; and, if so, whether he will make a statement on the matter.
There is no foundation, whatsoever, for any suggestion that I would be prepared to bring pressure to bear on the Local Appointments Commissioners to select a candidate from a particular locality for a post which has been advertised to be filled on the recommendation of the commissioners, and I am not aware that, in fact, any such suggestion was made on the occasion referred to in the Deputy's question. In these matters the commissioners are bound to proceed strictly in accordance with the relevant statutes and the regulations governing the competition for the post concerned, and I need hardly say that it would be quite improper for me to intervene in favour of any candidate or class of candidate.
I have no doubt that would be the Taoiseach's attitude, but will he insist that Deputy Flanagan ceases making speeches suggesting the contrary?
Deputy Flanagan did nothing of the kind suggested by Deputy MacEntee in his supplementary query.