Mr. Pat Owens:

Let me outline a number of points. This applies to all committees. One has a period in which a person is being trained, learning the ropes and getting used to the system, after which he or she becomes more confident about the role and starts to learn about the overall operation and makes a much greater contribution. To make a comparison, a qualified accountant will contribute much more to an accountancy firm than a trainee accountant. As one develops, one becomes more involved in the role. We must remember that credit union volunteers would be prized in other organisations that are looking for volunteers. If one is obliged to be removed from the board for a three year period, one may become involved somewhere else and find that the competency requirements one had previously met have been raised again and that another period of training is required.

We think also that it goes against the democratic principle on which credit unions are founded. Members are entitled to elect the board that they want to run their credit union. It is much like what applies to the democratic process in the Dáil. I do not know if legislation that would restrict Deputies to serving nine years in office would be passed by the Legislature.