Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I move amendment No. 35:

In page 17, line 38, after "Part" to insert the following:

"provided that the Institute shall establish procedures to ensure a separation between the performance of its regulatory functions under this Act and of its existing representative functions, and shall ensure that the regulatory functions are performed independently by the Admissions Board and are not subject to the influence, direction or control of any other authority within the Institute".

This is a belt and braces amendment. It could be argued that it is not necessary from the drafting point of view but it is a statutory requirement for the institute that will be given the responsibility.

We are giving this responsibility to an institute that does not represent or purport to represent all architects, but all architects who wish to be registered must come through this process. Some have expressed concerns that the role of the institute will change from that of a voluntary representational body to that of a statutory regulatory body. I propose that in conferring this responsibility on the institute, it will be required to set up a system of clear separation between one set of activities and another. The amendment will comfort those people who feel the institute is becoming both player and referee.

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