asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the nominees of Taiscí Stáit Teoranta to the board of a brewery in Cork city (name supplied) and the qualifications of such persons for their nomination.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Taiscí Stáit Nominees to Cork Brewery.
102.
The Taiscí Stáit nominees to the board of the company concerned are as follows:
Mr. E.J. Power (Chairman) — director and general manager of Irish Dunlop Company Limited.
Mr. A. Murray — secretary of Irish Refining Company Limited.
Mr. W. O'Brien — chairman and managing director of O'Brien Plastics Limited.
Mr. K. Wallace — managing director of Greenmount and Boyne Linen Company Limited.
These persons were nominated on the basis of their experience and general suitability.
Can the Minister say if he is completely satisfied that all of those people named by him have the expertise and competence that would contribute to the running and management of the brewery?
On the basis of the business records of the people concerned I have no reason to believe otherwise.
Would the Minister agree that the political affiliations of at least one prominent person on the list that he read out might, in fact, have greater weight with him than the managerial expertise or competence of that individual?
No, certainly not. The fact that a person might have certain political affiliations should not be an argument for or against an appointment of this kind. I think it is a question of the competence in management and in business of the people concerned. On that basis, as I have said, I have no reason to believe that any of these appointments is unsoundly based.
I think the late Deputy O'Malley put it better.
Would the Minister agree that it seems rather strange that the nomination to the board of one particular individual with not the slightest experience or understanding whatsoever of the brewing industry has been greeted with more than a fair share of cynicism by the employees of this firm and by Cork people generally, knowing that he is a very close personal friend of the Taoiseach and, indeed. a strong supporter of the Minister, and that that seems to have carried more weight than any managerial reputation he may have?
There is no basis whatever for the statement by Deputy Desmond——
Do not be codding.
Let me finish. The Deputy was allowed to finish. There is no basis whatever for the statement by Deputy Desmond as to the reaction of employees or people in Cork generally. In fact, Deputy Desmond, I think, will find if he goes back to Cork some time that the position is quite different.
I visit Cork quite regularly.
I should like to know why is it that Deputy Desmond feels that it is possible and justifiable for him to make an allegation of that kind in relation to one of the appointees. He did not make it in relation to the others, none of whom, to the best of my knowledge, has any experience in the brewing industry any more than the other. The Deputy will appreciate that the possibility of appointing somebody with experience of that industry to this board was remote, having regard to the fact that there could well be a very serious conflict of interest. but the Deputy made the point in relation to only one person and not the others. That shows very clearly what the Deputy has in mind.
May I ask the Minister why there was no consideration given to the appointment, say, of a trade union representative to the board of this company, which is the Murphy Brewery of Cork? four prominent Cork businessmen were appointed, one of whom was an extremely prominent Fianna Fáil supporter——
This would be enlarging the scope of questions.
Could I ask the Minister why he did not appoint a worker or trade union representative to this board?
This would be enlarging the scope of questions. The Deputy would have to put down a separate question on that matter.
I wondered when the Deputy would get around to that. You will have noticed that he has very quickly shifted his ground. Having made allegations, when he got an answer from me, he quickly shifted his feet.
I am not shifting anything.
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle ruled the question out of order. Was the Deputy listening?
The Chair has ruled the question out.
Very obviously, the Minister could not care less.
It is very obvious what Deputy Desmond has in mind and he has shown himself up.