Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The members of the council work on a pro bono basis. They get some travelling and maintenance expenses but, essentially, they are people of very high competence in their professional lives and, as I said, work on a pro bono basis. It is important we get the highest category of person to serve.

Anything that might, in their opinion, provide a platform where their professional competence would be questioned could run contrary to the range of choice a Minister might have. That is my concern.

I would like to make a correction. I said they were pro bono. I am told it is not pro bono, but where they are employed in the public sector, the fee does not go to the person serving; it goes to the employer.