Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

My understanding is that the appointment of the nine persons, both of the three proposed in amendment 11 and the six thereby remaining, as proposed in amendment No. 9, will be appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and not the Minister for Health and Children. Prior to the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, coming before the House, I had asked his colleague, who has just left, to explain the criteria that will be used to appoint the other six members who will be representative of the interest of the general public as against the three who have the special designation, in the opinion of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, as having such qualifications, interests and experience which would be of value to the council in performing in functions. Other colleagues and I on the Opposition benches have expressed our concerns in this regard.

I am focusing on the inference that the other six would be people who would not have qualifications, interest or experience and who, in the opinion of the Minister, would be of limited or questionable value in service in the council. We should have left things as they stood in terms of the nine people, although I accept the Green Party amendment. I stated that we are drawing a hierarchy of three over six. A special determination is being made regarding three appointments and the remaining six will become lesser mortals. It would have been my view that any of the nine people representative of the interest of the general public would have one or more of the elements proposed in amendment No. 11, that is, they would have qualifications or interests in or experience of the critical areas to be addressed by the council. Without exception, all of them would be viewed by the Minister, in this case the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, in making his or her appointment——

See this speech in context