FIANNA FÁIL backbencher and former minister Mary O’Rourke claimed that former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick could have held a senior economic ministry had the list system been in place five years ago.

Mrs O’Rourke also criticised the “ageist” media view of politicians and those “who decry clientelism, as it is mentioned in a denigrating fashion.

“People ask why deputies should look after people’s rights or take up a cause when they should be thumping a table, putting forward amendments and speaking to legislation.

“We should do this but there must be balance that takes in constituency work, dealing with people before coming to this Chamber to do the national business.”

Speaking during the debate on the Finance Bill, Mrs O’Rourke described what she called the “trite debate which has gone on about a new type of democracy. It seems people will not be elected but will be plucked from the wonderful world of business and commerce and be plonked into ministries”.

“If that had been the way five years ago, Seán FitzPatrick could well have been minister for finance or head of some other body.

“That would be if he was not deemed by some to be past it and to have lost political creativity.”

Referring to Irish Timescolumnist Elaine Byrne, Mrs O'Rourke said: "She wrote a very interesting article recently in The Irish Timesin which I believe her tongue was in her cheek. She argued in the article that political creativity, like sex, is best left to the young. It was hilarious.

“As somebody much older than her I hope her sex urge lasts until she is older; it would be too bad if there came an age when she would be told that she had to stop. My goodness, we would be living in Gestapo country in that case.”