Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I am astonished by the degree to which the Department of Education and Science and other Departments – I do not include the Minister's Department – seem to believe that when it comes to expertise there is only one sector of third level education. The last time I checked the board of the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation there was nobody from the technological sector of third level education on it. However, that board compiled a detailed report on the teaching of science in secondary schools without serious reference to the sector of third level education which specialises in scientific education. The national foresight panels, which were set up in recent years, contained one staff member from the technological sector of education and dealt with a range of areas which are in many cases more developed and advanced in the technological sector of education. I make no apology for saying that because it is my own sector. As the Minister said, many of these jobs are more trouble for people than they are worth. I am concerned about the lack of willingness because of traditional thinking to use expertise which is available rather than about jobs for my colleagues, most of whom have enough to do. There is an unwillingness to use the expertise.

I am not prepared to withdraw the amendment because I do not believe the Minister made a convincing case. I refuse to accept that appointments to State board are made from thin air without written justification.