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

I move amendment No. 11:

In page 16, to delete lines 14 to 16, and substitute the following:"(5) Subject to subsections (6) and (7)*, the Public Appointments Service shall recommend a person for appointment as Commissioner following an open selection competition held by the Service for that purpose.".

There are two amendments in my name in the grouping, namely amendments Nos. 11 and 14, both of which concern section 15 of the Bill dealing with membership of the commission. I commend the Minister on having a commission of only three people rather than 17. It makes sense to have a small commission. My specific proposal relates to section 15(5) which currently provides that one of the three commissioners will be appointed following a selection process. I propose that we will have an open selection competition. It mirrors in many respects the provision contained within the Garda Síochána (Amendment) Act in respect of a Garda Commissioner. I am interested to hear what the Minister has to say in respect of the proposed introduction of a competition process. I am not irreversibly wedded to it but will look to hear what the Minister has to say.

Amendment No. 14 proposes a requirement that one of the members of the selection panel selecting the commissioners should be nominated by the chair of the European Data Protection Board. It is important to recognise that the function of the commission means commissioners must have strong expertise given the issues of data protection with which they will be dealing.