Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support these amendments. It is not only necessary to have a student representative but a students' union representative. We would not want a student representative to be chosen by the governing body or by a body that is alien to the students' union. Students' unions are constituted by the student body itself. We would be keen that it would be a students' union representative. I also find myself in a similar position to Senator Norris in that I am disappointed at the Government's failure to accept these amendments. We had tabled an amendment about having an Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, representative on the governing body as well and that amendment was ruled out on the spurious ground that it represented a cost to the Exchequer. I support these amendments. We should have a vote. I hope that people in this House will see sense and vote in favour of the amendments.