Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 52 relates to the requirement that a person would be recommended by the Public Appointments Service. I wish to ensure transparency and no danger of potential excessive political involvement in the process. The Minister clarified that he plans to address that issue through other mechanisms.

One issue not addressed and of real concern relates to trade union representation for both academic and professional staff on the board of an t-údarás. That is very important if the board is to represent in a comprehensive way all the elements of the university community or the higher and further education communities in the wider sense. It is important to be able to hear the voice of the workers in those institutions. I hope the Minister might be able to accept the amendment. I will not jump ahead. We will return to the question of trade union representation within individual higher and further education institutions later. On a cascade effect it should be reflected on the board of an t-údarás.

As I said, I believe amendment No. 55 has been addressed by Schedule 2 and I will not move forward with that amendment.