Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am of the view this amendment is too prescriptive and could create inflexibilities. The Senator will see that in respect of the membership of the board of the agency, in section 19(2)(b), I have stated that members of the board should have experience in matters connected to organisational governance, management or public administration. The function of the board is to oversee the activities of the agency and, as such, the suggestion that the composition of the board should reflect each function of the agency is unnecessary and restrictive. It would be important, for example, to have on the board experience in management, as well as expertise in human resources and communications. I already have announced the membership of the Family Support Agency board that will oversee the transition to the Child and Family Agency and this will become the new board. The calibre of its membership is very high and as the Senator is aware, it brings together highly qualified and experienced members with a range of high-level skills in the areas of child protection, family support and education, and critical areas such as public sector reform, corporate governance, financial management, communications and change management.

I acknowledge the Senator is not questioning the calibre of the current board membership or indeed my approach to the nominations but I refer to my own experience of other boards and the prescription of particular professions thereon. Depending on how a board changes over time and the kind of balances that are needed, I certainly believe a more general prescription, such as that which I have chosen here is better. Some boards in the past have been highly representative but have become quite rigid and have been heavily criticised for that. Rather than looking at the overall goals of an agency, they have become reflective of particular interests as opposed to the overall challenge of the governance and running of the board. This is the reason I do not accept this amendment.