Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 40 to 42, inclusive, relate to term limits for board members and I will deal with them together. There was a lengthy discussion on Committee Stage on boards of directors and term limits. My priority is to retain the principle of rotation which is at the core of this measure and in line with the commission recommendations. I have stated that I intend to bring forward an amendment following consultation with the Attorney General's office to change the term limits to 12 years on aggregate in a 15 year period.

Amendment No. 42 follows from an exchange with Deputy Doherty on Committee Stage relating to exceptional circumstances where the term limits might be dis-applied, in particular, where the board is unable to attract sufficient skills and expertise otherwise. My Department is currently exploring options for this with the Attorney General's office with a view to seeing what can be done to address this point. On that basis I do not propose to accept the amendments at this stage. However, I assure the Deputy that the issue is being examined closely and in a constructive way.

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