Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Two issues arise from these amendments. The first relates to the issue identified by Deputy Boyle regarding the part to be played by the educational institutions and the educational sector generally. There is a problem in some professions in that the link between the professions, the professional bodies and the requirements of the professional bodies does not appear in some instances to match what is happening in the educational institutions. In recent times, particularly in the case of some professions — admittedly not the ones that are the subject of this Bill — the educational institutions appear to be proceeding to teach undergraduate courses without knowing changes are taking place in the requirements of the professional bodies concerned. In some cases, students who are two or three years into a course find that the prescribed course does not match what the professional body will subsequently require. I am not sure whether the fault lies with the professional bodies changing the goalposts without regard to what is happening in the educational institutions or with the fact that those responsible for running the courses are not keeping up to speed with what is happening in the professional bodies but there is certainly a need for greater formal tick-tacking between professional bodies and educational institutions in regard to the courses. Therefore, the emphasis Deputy Boyle is proposing to put on the educational representation is well merited.

The Minister's amendment is one of those great curiosities. There will be three people who have such qualifications, interests and experience which, in the opinion of the Minister, would be of value to the council in performing its functions. This is rather like nominations for the Seanad. A person who likes food might be considered by the Minister to be suitable for the dietitian's board. This amendment is wide open. It is a prescription for the Government putting political activists, from whatever cumann is aggrieved about the fallout of the selection convention, on a State board. It is about the person who did not get the nomination at the selection convention. Anyone who is aggrieved by the outcome of such a convention will be fixed up by the Minister on a State board.

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