Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

We are reducing the size of the board from 20 to 15 for operational efficiency. The percentages are tweaked as a result and there is a reduction from 25% to 20% in the representation of people with disabilities. I undertook to take account of that when making appointments. That is the better route to take at this stage.

When one reduces a board dramatically, one gets this type of distortion in the percentage membership. I remind the Deputy that the board still has statutory requirements and is required to take certain actions to support people with disabilities. The composition of the board is critical. However, no matter who is on the board, it has a statutory duty to act in a certain way. I am confident we will have a board that will achieve that. I stress that there was no agenda here. The reduction in the percentage is purely consequential from when the board membership was reduced from 20 to 15. I will try to take full account of the reduction when making appointments to the board.

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