Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The admissions board will be responsible for overseeing admissions. This board will be comprised of seven members and a chairperson. Three of its members will be architects nominated by the RIAI, four will be nominated by the Minister and will not be architects and a person with a legal background will be charged with chairing the board. As well as registering graduates from the NUI and other bodies, it will be also in a position to register those with at least seven years practical experience of performing duties commensurate with those of an architect in the State. I am seeking an assurance that the latter will cover the people with whom I have been speaking, namely, those who are not, who never have been or who were for a time members of the RIAI.

There is somewhat of a catch-22 situation regarding the four ministerial appointments. According to the Bill, the four individuals who will be appointed by the Minister will be people who are not architects. I would have preferred it if the relevant provision had stated that these people should be individuals who are not members of the RIAI because this would allow the Minister of the day to nominate people who are working as architects but who are not members of the RIAI. This would have given a degree of comfort to those who have a difficulty with this matter.

A person who is not a graduate of the NUI, DIT or some other body but who has practical experience will be obliged to make his or her application to the admissions board. Theoretically, the RIAI could nominate persons who are not its members to serve on the board——