Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Arising from comments, particularly from Senator O'Toole, on Second Stage, my Department has reviewed recent statutes in respect of Members of the Oireachtas or the European Parliament or local authority representatives being members of statutory bodies. While it is true that there has not been a rigid approach to this area in general, Members of the Oireachtas and the European Parliament have been precluded from membership of a number of statutory bodies.

In the case of local authority representatives, this is not the case. My view is that the particularly busy working schedules of Members of the Oireachtas and the European Parliament, coupled with the absence of the latter group from the country for much of the working week, raises a practical difficulty in terms of their availability for meetings that would arise on foot of membership of the council. This would not be in the interests of the council, which we are asking to take on a heavy workload in the years ahead.

This difficulty is not as acute for local authority members. Accordingly, I can partially accept the proposals from Senators Henry and McCarthy. This is hoped to be achieved by removing the ban on local authority representatives being appointed to the Veterinary Council and tabling the four individual amendments to section 29(1) and (4).