Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I should add that the purpose of the amendment is to ensure that when the procedures committee is drawing up criteria for inclusion in the statement, it would repeat and make it very clear that the overall principle was one of making appointments on merit and that the requirements in respect of gender equality and to reflect social diversity were secondary to this principle. I want the Bill to state that when they come into conflict, making appointments on merit will prevail.