Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

While I am not suggesting elected representatives should be on the board, it is not necessary to specify their exclusion in legislation. There is no crime in being a politician. The same applied with the Pharmacy Bill last week. I would love to see a court challenge under equality legislation, as I am sure the courts might take a different view on the matter. This unnecessary provision has been inserted in all recent legislation. Membership should be based on merit. Guidelines can be drawn up here when members are elected. However, inserting this provision automatically is not appropriate. We are doing our best to discuss the pros and cons of democracy and during the Order of Business today we spoke about how politics won out in the end in Northern Ireland. We are encouraging people to enter politics and take part in the democratic process and yet we insert this provision on a regular basis. I resent it and object to it. There is no need for it. While I do not suggest they should be on the board, it is not necessary to bar people from participation. It flies in the face of all our equality legislation.