Professor John FitzGerald:

I am conscious that I am an elderly gentleman who was 71 yesterday and that one needs balance. It is an expert council established to look at the evidence and provide expert advice so the first qualification for someone on the council needs to be their expertise. There are people who have demonstrated their expertise who are much younger than I am and much younger than the average age of those on the council but it is not meant to be a representative body. We are meant to assess the evidence and provide the advice. That is the first consideration. As currently constituted, it is not our job to go out and consult on our advice, but it is for the Government to consult on the advice we provide. Up to Covid, I kept a pair of boots in the car because I spent a lot of time wandering around farms and bogs listening to people which probably is not part of my function but it reflects my elderly age, that I am retired and have the time to do it. Particularly in agriculture, I have found that one learns a lot by talking to people. It has guided our policy advice. The members of the council are part time and they are there to spend a day or two a month on this. We need to concentrate on understanding the science and the evidence on how best to deal with this and then draft the advice to Government. I stress the need for expertise and people who can work together in drafting policy. I anticipate the next council will have a younger average age than this one.