Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I do not agree with the amendment or Senator Quinn's assertion that local authority members should be excluded. As Senator Daly said, if members of a local authority are interested in this area – many such members are involved in the tourism business – there is no reason they should be excluded. They give a lot of time and effort to serve the local community. Strategic policy committees were set up under the new local authority structure. In the majority of cases throughout the country the local representative attends the meetings rather than the people outside the local authority structure. I do not support the total exclusion of local authority members. People with an interest in the tourism business should be considered if it is necessary to put a member of a local authority on the board.