A clear and transparent process is critical in State Board appointments

Published: Monday, January 26, 2015

Competence and capacity to do the job are the main points to consider when making an appointment to a State Board; appearance should not come into it. A clear and transparent process is critical. Yesterdays’ news of notes being passed in the Dáil chamber demonstrates yet again that the process of making appointments to State Boards, is still understood to be a process that can be undermined through cronyism, patronage and sexism.

That a politician still believes that passing notes on such important issues is acceptable, and commonplace only serves to further demonstrate that the Oireachtas must be reformed to rebuild trust and to change how citizens, particularly women, see and experience politics.   At a time when all political parties are trying to attract women to politics, and to improve on 16 percent female representation, it is critical that a ‘Code of Conduct’, and other measures are implemented to ensure such sexist and anti-democratic behaviour is removed from the Oireachtas.

Given the significant public outrage in autumn 2014 in relation to John McNulty’s appointment to the board of IMMA, not to mention the disrespectful and highly sexist comments contained in the letter, it is no wonder the public has lost trust in politics and in politicians when such examples of cronyism and sexism  persist time and time again.   This government must work to re-build that trust.  Clear, transparent processes and strong leadership are critical to rebuilding that trust.