Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I hope the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, is listening to this debate. The way it is going, I do not believe the legislation will be passed. I thank my colleague, Senator Browne, for tabling this amendment. I tabled a similar amendment to a Bill last year. I have long advocated this type of section should not be included in legislation. Why should any person be precluded from being on a board because he or she is a Members of the Oireachtas or a local authority member? Whether one likes it or not, such people come from all sections of society and they would bring great experience to any board. I fail to understand why the section before us should be allowed to exclude people from membership of a board.

I compliment Senator Browne on tabling this amendment. The Minister should revisit the Bill and delete this section that precludes local authority members, Members of the Oireachtas and members of the European Parliament from being members of these boards, as they would bring a vast amount of experience from all sections of society to any board. To preclude them would make bad law. It is up to the Minister to do this. There is no obligation to select them. I support Senator Browne on this issue.