Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 16, to delete lines 17 to 24.

I have said enough on this issue on other occasions. It is outrageous that Oireachtas Members are lumped in with convicted persons and bankrupt people, etc. There is no need to include this exclusion in the Bill. If any other group of people was excluded, people would be outraged and rightly so. I do not suggest Oireachtas Members should be on the boards, but that every case should be judged individually. Although Senator O'Toole is on the Personal Injuries Advisory Board, that will not get him elected in the next Seanad election. It is great to see people with his experience coming into the House. The Acting Chairman too has a wealth of experience in the medical world to bring to bear in debates on health issues.

The exclusion is unnecessary, breaches equality legislation and is discriminatory. I would like to see it being challenged in court. An Oireachtas Member can stand for re-election and if he or she fails to be elected, he or she can qualify to sit on these boards. However, an elected Member with a mandate from the people cannot. This seems to fly in the face of democracy. We are doing our best to encourage people to become involved in politics, which is not easy, but this provision is another disincentive to that involvement. It should be deleted from the section and from section 85.