Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Mick Wallace has an amendment about the member of the board from the Garda. I had originally indicated that it should be a current or retired member of An Garda Síochána but Deputy Wallace suggests we take out the term "or retired". I think it might be better to have a retired garda as opposed to a current garda on the board. I would think a current garda should be out guarding the streets as opposed to sitting on the parole board. I will be interested to hear what the Minister has to say on it. I think we would be better off to make it more expansive rather than more restrictive. If it is a current or retired member of the Garda, it is more expansive.

In amendment No. 9, Deputy Wallace proposes "a lay community representative". It is important to have community representatives but people are going to be selected by a competitive selection process under section 8(3)(b). On the wording, Deputy Clare Daly has amendment No. 10, which I would prefer to amendment No. 9. It refers to "two persons appointed through a competitive selection process coordinated by the Public Appointments Service to have" certain qualifications. It is important everyone is not appointed by a Public Appointments Service competition. People will just not apply for it. There is some basis for certain members of the board to be appointed that way.

The manner in which I have identified that people should be appointed is that, for example, the Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service, the Garda Commissioner and the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland will nominate a person each. That is a better way to do it rather than to have a competition, which may look transparent and which people might think sounds great, but which will in many respects not get people to apply. There is a mix within it in that some have to apply through the competition process and some are appointed by others and it is a good mix. I would prefer amendment No. 10 over amendment No. 9, but will hear what the Minister has to say about it.