Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 42:

In page 15, line 31, to delete “or a local authority”.

I do not see why a member of a local authority would be barred from membership of the board nor do I believe any Member of this House would want that. However, I can understand why there is an exclusion of Members of the Oireachtas and MEPs. As I said, there is a Dublin City Council representative on the current board of the children's hospital in Crumlin and this good practice should be continued. Since the size of the hospital will increase, it makes sense that there should be two Dublin City Council representatives on the board. Over many years, we have seen the benefit of members of local authorities being on the boards of hospitals and on other boards. During the problems which arose over the National Maternity Hospital having a member of Dublin City Council on the board was absolutely invaluable in the direction that the hospital took and we need to learn from that. However, as this amendment is consequential on those which have been ruled out of order, I will withdraw these amendments which make absolute sense.