Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There will be continuity. This is because there will be terms of office of three and five years. The membership of the entire body will not, therefore, have to replaced at any one time. Those with three-year terms of office will be replaced first and then those with five-year terms. The decision to have two distinct periods of service was taken in order to avoid the situation to which the Deputy refers, namely, where it would be necessary to appoint an entirely new membership. What we have done will ensure that the body of knowledge gained will be carried forward and will not be lost.