Quinn pledges to be 'new broom' as education chief [Independent.ie]
- Published: 12 March 2011
NEW Education Minister Ruairi Quinn yesterday vowed to change the way things are done in the department he previously lambasted for being secretive and protective of the Catholic Church.
While in opposition, Mr Quinn suggested department officials could be "members of secret societies, such as the Knights of St Columbanus and Opus Dei, and have taken it upon themselves to protect the interests of these clerical orders".
He also described many department officials as either "Catholic right wing" or being "incompetent, lazy and destructive".
Trenchant
Some of his most trenchant criticism of the department related to its handling of the Ryan Report on institutional child abuse and the frustration of trying to get information in the Dail on properties owned by the religious congregations involved.
But Mr Quinn yesterday said he would be "a new broom" in the department.
He added: "In time, I will be giving guidance on how questions can be factually answered."
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