Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The effect of amendment No. 17 would be to require ETBs to appoint women and men in equal numbers. Having a diversity of views in organisations is of huge benefit. However, the introduction of gender quotas in public service recruitment is not something I am aware of and it is not appropriate for me, as Minister for Education and Skills, to seek to impose this in respect of one set of bodies in the public service. This is something for which my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, has responsibility and it is an issue of relevance to all public service employers. Accordingly, I would not consider it appropriate to accept this amendment.

The effect of amendment No. 18 would be to remove the requirement for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to consent to the terms and conditions of education and training board staff. It is a well-established practice and requirement that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has an integral role in setting, or consenting to, the terms and conditions of employment of public servants. Certain terms and conditions of public servants are set centrally, while others require the agreement of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This is only right and proper given the public service wide remit the Minister, Deputy Howlin, has and his responsibility for ensuring prudent use of public finances within the public sector. The provision as it currently stands is merely reflecting that reality.

Therefore, I cannot accept this amendment.

On amendment No. 19, to which Deputy McConalogue referred, the Government has, through its programme for Government, committed to supporting the 20-year strategy for the Irish language. In addition, VECs and the future ETBs are public bodies, which fall within the terms of the Official Languages Act of 2003 and are therefore obliged to meet the relevant Irish language requirements. I do not think it is appropriate to impose additional Irish language obligations on these new public bodies in the way proposed. Therefore, I am not inclined to accept this amendment.