The Independent Alliance has pledged to introduce legislation banning ministers from making appointments to semi-State bodies following last night's RTÉ Prime Time Leaders’ Debate.
Dublin-Rathdown candidate Shane Ross said that getting rid of cronyism is a core value of the Independent Alliance.
He said: "The scourge of cronyism is one of the worst aspects of Irish politics. Everybody was shocked that in answering the question about cronyism none of the four party leaders could answer it adequately."
"This is absolutely unacceptable. If we are in a position to influence the government ... we will introduce legislation that will ban ministers making appointments to semi-State bodies."
He said: "There are high-profile appointments which are being made for party loyalists."
He then asked what procedures were in place for the appointment of a number of appointments.
"Why should the attorney general be a political appointee? It is also worth looking at more sensitive areas like the Director of Public Prosecutions."
Dublin Bay North candidate Finian McGrath said the issue of independents "came up this morning on the doors. All the major political parties were totally exposed on the issue of cronyism and they could not hide when the question was asked.
"They we all exposed. The public saw clearly what was going on. There should be no hiding place for those people directly involved in this."
Dublin West candidate David McGuinness said: "It is quite clear that a lot of people have huge difficulty with cronyism."
He accused the Tánaiste of "putting her career and the careers of her pals in the Labour Party before our community".
Questioned about the Government's appointments to the board of the NTMA, Mr Ross said: "I am not surprised at the cabinet giving special exemption on this."
Mr Ross said that "I wouldn't make any red-line local demands" before going into coalition.
He said that any deals with independents should be published.
Senator Gerard Craughwell said that the Taoiseach "was caught on the hop last night. You could see it in his eyes. You could see it in his face. If the Dáil was sitting there would be calls for his resignation."
