Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While my colleague has withdrawn the amendment, I do agree with her that members of councils have qualifications. I served on Cork City Council and on the board of the Port of Cork having been appointed by the council. Rules have come in over recent years that now bar a councillor from sitting on any State board. I am not clear that is correct because in fairness to councillors they have not got onto councils easily. They have skills outside of the medical area, for example, etc. I do not believe that someone should be automatically barred. For argument's sake, a person sitting on the board who was not a councillor could not run for local office if he or she wanted to retain his or her seat on the board. I wonder whether that is a good idea. It is something that we need to review not only in respect of this board but for all boards. I do not disagree with my colleague on this. It is something we need to look at in the long term.