Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is unusual that a number of Members on the Independent benches, who insist we do not guillotine legislation yet who constantly seem to wish to interrupt when anyone else wishes to speak, are interrupting. It is only a pity, given they are in the consultation process, that they did not engage as extensively as the Minister has done over the past four years. I would like to know, and we will soon find out on the record, the extent to which Senator Craughwell made representations during that time.

What is key about the authority - and this is where I have some sympathy with the proposers of the amendment - and what has to be remembered is that this is not a representative board. The idea is that the student who is on the board is not there solely as a student representative nor if somebody from an academic background is put on the board, is he or she an academic representative. They are there because of the skills and experience they have to contribute to the body corporate. In the same way, with the boards of most organisations, members should leave their representative hats at the door and seek to fulfil the objectives laid out within the legislation.

That said, and as the Minister will be aware, I have proposed an amendment relating to this matter later in the Bill. In that amendment I state specifically that, tied in with this, there should be experience of international higher education, particularly given the space within which the authority and the universities should operate. I, therefore, have some sympathy with the proposers of this amendment. It is quite clear, and the requirement is there, that the appointee shall have sufficient experience and expertise relating to matters connected to education, teaching, learning, research and so on. I do not necessarily expect the Minister to appoint a farmer simply because he or she happens to be a supporter of the Minister. Whoever is involved will have to show that he or she fulfils the necessary criteria and has, as according to the legislation, sufficient experience and expertise. There is merit in having a student voice on the board but, equally, other members should be able to guarantee some level of expertise in that regard and of higher education. The question is how we ensure that this is a representative board while, at the same time, ensuring that the necessary experience and competences be available for an túdarás to fulfil its objectives and that these can be formed from the composition of the board.