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

I move amendment No. 35:

In page 28, to delete lines 1 to 7, and substitute the following:“training—

(i) at least one of whom shall be a body representative of business, industry and employers,

(ii) at least one of whom shall be a body representative of learners, and

(iii) at least one of whom shall be a body established for the purpose of representing the interests of persons engaged in the management of, or leadership in, recognised schools,

and each specified body shall nominate one man and one woman who reside within the functional area of the education and training board concerned, for appointment to that board.

(b) The members referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subsection (1) shall appoint 5 members to the education and training board from among the persons nominated under paragraph (a)—

(i) at least one of whom shall have been nominated by a body referred to in subparagraph (i) of that paragraph,

(ii) at least one of whom shall have been nominated by a body referred to in subparagraph (ii) of that paragraph, and

(iii) at least one of whom shall have been nominated by a body referred to in subparagraph (iii) of that paragraph.

(c) The members appointed in accordance with paragraph (b) shall reside within the functional area of the education and training board and shall include at least 2 men and at least 2 women.”.

The purpose of amendment No. 35 is to ensure that those with a real stake in the work of the new education and training boards will be represented on the boards. Its effect is to guarantee representation for business, for learners and for school leadership or management interests on education and training boards. The Bill currently provides that the Minister must specify a number of bodies which in his or her opinion have a special interest in or knowledge of education and training. Each specified body will have a right to nominate a man and a woman for appointment to the board. It is then for the local authority staff and parent representatives to choose two men and two women from those nominated. The effect of amendment No. 35 is to narrow the discretion of both the Minister and the education and training board members who do the appointing. The Bill retains the requirement on the Minister for Education and Skills to specify certain bodies with a right to nominate people for consideration for appointment to education and training boards. However, now, at least one of those bodies must be a body representing business, industry and employers; at least one of those bodies must be representative of learners; and at least one body must be representative of school management or leadership. Each specified body must nominate one man and one woman who reside in the area. The local authority staff and parent members must then appoint five people, at least one of whom must be from a specified body representing employers or business, at least one must be from a specified body representing learners and at least one must be from a specified body representing school management or leadership. All five must reside in the area. At least two must be men and two must be women. I believe this provides for what is specified in Deputy McConalogue's amendment, No. 36.

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