Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What we have said is "at least three". I felt one or two would not be sufficient. Three would ensure that we have at least one lay member, one member of the Judiciary and one additional person but it could be four. It can be additional numbers. In speaking to the Chief Justice, it would be desirable not to have the same three people all the time. That is something that will be made clear and we would need to make sure that happens.

In terms of the competencies, it will be a matter for the commission to make sure that anybody who is conducting interviews has the ability. If training or anything is required by those individuals, as I mentioned earlier, those who are on this panel and particularly the lay members should have a knowledge of business, human resources, the courts and human rights among other things. Most like when these are going through the Public Appointments Service, we will potentially be looking at those who have the ability to conduct interviews and perhaps who have done something similar in their previous roles as well. If that is something that is missing from the commission or something the commissioners themselves feel they require, it will be up to the commission and it will be allowed for the commission to be able to support them in that regard.

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