EVER THOUGHT YOU could fill the shoes (or the hat) of Michael Healy-Rae? Well, now’s your chance: the Government is looking for applications to the post the Kerry South TD was dismissed from earlier this month.

The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, has put out a call for “suitably qualified and experienced persons” for the job on the Citizens Information Board. The position was held by Healy-Rae until he was ejected by Minister Burton for failing to follow standard practice by resigning when he was elected as a TD.

The good news is, the job doesn’t sound too onerous. According to the Department’s website, non-executive board members are paid €5,985 a year for “approximately” eight meetings – or almost €750 a time. And that’s before you claim any expenses due to you for “travel and subsistence”.

But not just anybody will be considered. The job description states that applicants must have “an ability to work effectively with others”, the capacity “to communicate clearly orally and in writing”, and an “understanding of good governance practices”. There’s also a request for somebody with “a strong sense of ethics and integrity”.

Michael Healy-Rae’s dismissal from the Board came just a week after he agreed to pay €2,639 to cover the cost of premium-rate phone calls made from the Dáil, to vote for him as a contestant on 2007 reality show Celebrities Go Wild. At the time, he said the payment was a “gesture” and he had no idea who made the calls.

Read more: Michael Healy-Rae dismissed from Citizens Information Board >

Read more: Michael Healy-Rae says he ‘knows nothing about’ Dáil phone calls >