Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I cannot accept either amendment. I just do not believe it is appropriate, the right way to go here or, indeed, coherent with the rest of the Bill. In relation to amendment No. 29, as I explained in the Dáil on Second Stage, the reason I am not accepting the amendment is that the board of the regulator is, under the legislation, responsible for the strategic direction of the office, and not the CEO. We have discussed the fact that the board is responsible and that at least three of the eight members will be representatives of primary producers. They are responsible for the strategic direction of the regulator, not the CEO. The CEO will report to the board and will operate under the board's direction. The Bill provides for the CEO to appear before Oireachtas committee as required, once appointed to the role. It would not be appropriate for a CEO-designate to appear before the committee before taking up the role. It is and will be appropriate for the chairperson-designate to appear before the committee because it is the chairperson and the board who are responsible for the strategic direction of the regulator and the CEO will report to them. It is absolutely right, and I would expect, that the committee will carry out that role and meet with the chairperson-designate in advance of his or her appointment to discuss the strategic direction of the regulator. It would not be appropriate for the CEO, who will reporting to the board and responsible to the board under this legislation, to do so.