Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with what the other Deputies have said and I understand the need for good governance and tightening up on governance. However, I do not understand why voluntary assistants are targeted. It comes back to how difficult it is for small branches to find people. If a small branch is looking for directors, and for people to give up their time for free and take on responsibility, perhaps it should look at the volunteers. I am keen to understand the rationale for excluding voluntary assistants.

I have no issue with precluding someone from being a voluntary assistant once he or she was a director. I have no difficulty with it working the other way around, but it seems to be going a bit too far.