Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle. Term limits have been debated in the context of involving more people in the Parliament by having Members serve only a few terms, similar to the US President or US state posts, before bringing their expertise elsewhere. Generally, in the corporate world, this does not happen. Companies try to hang on to talented executive chairpersons or directors for as long as they are willing to serve, particularly in a voluntary capacity. The Irish League of Credit Unions stated this provision could be addressed through local credit union by-laws and that they could decide in their own good time how many terms a volunteer might serve. The American credit union leader also addressed the joint committee and said Ireland would be unique if it introduced such restrictions. It could be a body blow to voluntarism in small credit unions. The Minister might examine this issue again, as I tried to do in amendments Nos. 23 and 26.

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