Madam, – The practice of interrupting and talking over interviewers on radio and television has got Justice Minister Dermot Ahern out of many corners.
He evaded two straightforward questions, using the same tactic, in the Dáil on the forcing out of Niall Crowley as CEO of the Equality Authority.
Firstly, if Mr Ahern’s objective is to save money, why did the Government replace a board of 12 members who took no fees with a board of 16 and pay them €150,000 in fees? Secondly, why didn’t he give the assurance sought that the decision of the Authority (to refer to the Garda allegations that his secretary-general breached the Equality Acts when he was head of the Prison Service) had no bearing on the 43 per cent cut in the authority’s budget or the resignation of the chief executive.
The Government would appear to have a very selective policy when it comes to forcing the resignation of chief executives. – Yours, etc,