Brendan Ryan (Labour)

On section 9, I would like to suggest a very small amendment, to deal with the issue I have raised. I am responding to what Senator Maurice Hayes said. Subsection (4) states:

Before appointing a chairperson under subsection (1) or an ordinary member under subsection (3)(b)(i) or (ii) or subsection (6), the Minister may consult with any organisations he or she considers appropriate.

I would be much happier if that means "shall consult", so the Minister must actually talk to somebody else he or she considers appropriate, before appointing a chairperson. Sensible people will consult, but both in my own party and in others, decisions are sometimes made about appointments to these bodies that, superficially at any rate, may not appear too sensible.

There is another question I may have missed. The Teaching Council, for example, makes some effort at gender balance. In all of the procedures for electing people to the various councils, I do not find, or I may have missed, any suggestion of gender balance. Will the Minister of State say whether this is deliberate policy or an omission and can we think about it between now and Report Stage?