Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I was chairman of the Waterford Harbour Commissioners when it had 26 representatives on its board. The Harbours Act 1996 reduced that membership to 12 members, correctly because it was to become a commercial body. Of the 12, three were local authority members, one each from Waterford City Council, Waterford County Council and Kilkenny County Council. The Minister of State claimed the Minister for Transport, Deputy Noel Dempsey, has given a commitment that he will appoint one member from a local authority to these commercial boards. It is not covered in the legislation, however. It states the Minister "may" and not "shall" appoint a local authority member.

While I might be somewhat parochial in referring to Waterford Port, if the Minister does appoint a local authority member to the port company's board, will he or she be from Waterford City Council, Waterford County Council or Kilkenny County Council? Local authority members are the best for attending port board meetings. Their contributions are as good as any of the other so-called experts on the board appointed by Ministers. Who better to represent the people than elected local representatives?

I do not know from where these high-powered reports from 2001 and 2003 come with the suggestion that the membership of boards should be reduced from 12 to eight members. The ones who will suffer in such a reduction will be local authority members. It is local authority members who ensure transparency and ask pertinent questions. They ask the awkward questions which need to be asked on many occasions on the harbour boards. That is the reason officials and so-called experts want local authority members removed.

It is a negation of democracy to exclude local authority members from various boards, as has happened in many other Bills going through this House. It must be the same crowd of experts compiling these reports for every Department recommending local authority members to be excluded from various boards. The workers' representatives on these boards will also be reduced. Who better to represent the workers than the actual workers and their local representatives? I would be very surprised if every Member on the Government side of the House will row in behind the Government Whip on this section. This is an attack on local representatives who have a vote in Seanad elections. It would be like turkeys voting for Christmas if Members voted against local authority members being represented on these boards.