Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Constitutional Convention chose 66 citizens at random - ordinary people as Deputy Boyd Barrett says - to deal with and make recommendations on very important constitutional issues. I do not have any complaint about any of those ordinary citizens. I am sure they contribute in important ways to the recommendations. The board of the NESC which operates under the aegis of my Department is composed of business and employer interests. Looking at the board members, I do not know Karin Dubsky of the environmental pillar but perhaps Deputy Boyd Barrett does. Michael Ewing is appointed under the environmental pillar of social partnership, Oisín Coghlan is from Friends of the Earth and Siobhan Egan is appointed under the environmental pillar. I am sure they are very competent people who have something to offer the NESC. I do not know if Deputy Boyd Barrett would classify them as "different", "extraordinary" or "ordinary". They contribute very well to the environmental pillar as part of the NESC. Far be it from me to make any disparaging remarks about any of them. They are all eminently qualified, ordinary or not as Deputy Boyd Barrett likes to categorise them. They make a valuable contribution to what we are at here.

I can only speak for the personnel appointed by my own Department. These appointments represent a very broad swathe of Irish society and Irish competence. I am sure Deputy Boyd Barrett agrees with the appointments under the environmental pillar and probably knows each of the individuals involved. He would not cast any doubt on their ability to contribute well to the NESC.

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