Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome the Minister?s invitation to us to make proposals. I am not sure I agree with having 12 councillors plus two members of staff deciding on the parents' representatives based on the nominations or expressions of interest that come forward. Is it not possible to consider a mechanism similar to any other election where people are nominated to stand for election whose names are put on a ballot paper? Taking into consideration the points Senator Mooney made, such an approach would be more open and democratic. It would not be acceptable to have a system whereby nominations are made by the parents' associations and then 12 county councillors plus two members of staff decide which two parents to choose. We should consider a mechanism involving a ballot paper with ten, 12 or however many names. The only stipulation should be that one of those elected to sit on the board should be male and the other should be female. Such a system would be more open, straightforward, democratic and above abuse. We should consider introducing a system of that nature.