Brendan Kenneally (Fianna Fail)

I disagree with Senator Quinn. I have a problem with the way we try to exclude publicly elected members from a number of bodies. They are democratically elected. I am concerned at the trend to cut them out from this, that and the other, specifically this area. During the debate on Second Stage we learned of the amount of dialogue that has taken place between the Department, the local authority and local communities. Senator Quinn's amendment would prohibit one of the elected representatives of those communities from being a member of this body. It is important that somebody who has a feel for the local community and was elected by it should have the opportunity to be included.