Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

I move amendment No. 13:

In page 11, line 39, to delete "chairman" and substitute "chairperson".

This is a simple amendment. My legal advice is that this is gender neutral language in line with modern drafting and, therefore, the wording should be amended. "Chairman" is no longer relevant to current circumstances and "chairperson" should be used. The Minister of State will surely throw us one little bone to satisfy us and accept a genuine amendment where we are trying to ensure everything is gender neutral. While women have lost out in the context of participation in the Oireachtas, hopefully on State boards and so on they will continue to assert themselves and achieve at least 50% membership. In a few years their numbers might well exceed ours. This is an appropriate amendment.

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