Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

There is no such thing as permanency in either House. I thank Members for sharing their views. Senator Glynn has discussed this matter with me in some detail and Senator Leyden raised the issue with me last week, as did other Senators. I appreciate the depth of feeling on the matter.

The purpose of these amendments is to delete the provisions that state, members of the European Parliament, Members of the Oireachtas or local authority members are not eligible to be appointed to the board of the authority. Local authority members are not being singled out, the provision also applies to members of the European Parliament and to Members of the Oireachtas.

The provision is a standard one in legislation of this nature. Most legislation establishing regulatory or development bodies exclude elected public representatives from membership of boards. It is found in the legislation establishing other bodies such as the Health Service Executive, the National Sports Campus Development Authority, the Private Residential Tenancies Board, the Commission for Communications Regulation, Science Foundation Ireland, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the Railway Procurement Agency and various other bodies involved with the Ombudsman for Children and the Defence Forces. The most recent of these bodies to be created was the National Sports Campus Development Authority. That legislation was enacted in the House last year.