Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Bill requires each education and training board, in performing its functions, to consult with a range of stakeholders, including members of staff of the board. Therefore, I do not think it is necessary to include teaching unions specifically. Furthermore, were unions to be included, it would be wrong to confine that requirement to teaching unions, given that VECs and future ETBs will employ a wide range of staff, perhaps represented by staff other than teaching unions. For that reason, I do not propose to accept this amendment.

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