Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

Would it not make sense that the board would sit as a board and that the CEO would report to it, if the board is to carry out that supervisory function to the best possible extent? If, however, the CEO is part of the board, that could dilute or even undermine that possibility. If a function of the board is to supervise the CEO and that is the way it should be, how best does one carry that out? It would be better carried out if the CEO was not a member of the board and the board had its own dynamic and way of doing things.

In regard to the general balance of the board, I am not surprised by what the Minister said about the standard section. We can note what the standard section is producing or not producing. This vague objective is not achieving gender balance to which the Government states it aspires. Provision in this regard needs a more specific section. The amendment speaks for itself.