Sargent calls for qualifications audit

GREEN leader Trevor Sargent yesterday called for an audit of the qualifications of all Government appointees as the controversy over science adviser Barry McSweeney continues.

Mr McSweeney stepped aside as chief science adviser on Tuesday over his PhD from a degree mill, but is being given a new role in the Department of Communications.

Mr McSweeney will retain the same €120,000-a-year salary he presently earns.

With senior academics yesterday criticising the Government’s decision not to fire Mr McSweeney, Mr Sargent challenged Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on numerous fronts during Leader’s Questions.

He focused on Mr McSweeney’s original 2004 appointment by Mary Harney on foot of a call from Neil Kinnock and the manner in which he has now been given another job.

“Has the Taoiseach learned nothing from this fiasco, which results from poor vetting and no competition? The Government proposes to appoint someone in another highly-paid position, again without a competition. Can the Government state whether anything has been learned from this fiasco?

“How can scientists advising on research in the fields of energy, marine, communications and other technologies have confidence in a person who was effectively removed from a position on the basis of false qualifications?” he said.

Mr Sargent also criticised Ms Harney’s role in the affair. “The Tánaiste lectures us on competition day in and day out. Where lies her credibility on the issue of competition when a word from a former leader of the British Labour Party is sufficient to make an appointment? That really takes the biscuit,” he said.

With the academic community angry at the way the Government had handled the issue, UCC biochemistry professor James Heffron told RTÉ Mr McSweeney should not be offered another job.

Mr Ahern said he did not agree with “dumping people on the street because of a bit of controversy” while Ms Harney said the Government felt the fairest thing to do was to keep Mr McSweeney’s talents in the public sector but to remove him from his old job.

Former University of Limerick and Science Council chairman Ed Walsh paid tribute to Mr McSweeney, but said the current controversy would hurt any country’s reputation.

“It would have hurt any country if there were questions about the academic qualifications about a very senior person whether they were chief science advisor or otherwise,” he said.

He said he was “delighted to know that Barry’s remarkable talents are going to be retained within the Irish public sector”.