Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If we put into legislation that the chair must be a layperson and then go on to say that, in the absence of that lay chairperson, the group which meets in the absence of that person cannot select from among their number the person they think is best qualified to chair their meeting and must exclude anybody with any legal knowledge, whether as a judge or legal professional, that will be a wholly unnecessary, redundant, and vindictive restraint.That is what it appears to be. There is no other explanation for it.