Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak to a number of amendments that relate to elected student representatives on the board. We can all acknowledge that universities are often a microcosm of society. The same applies to student politics. We must respect the mandate of elected representatives involved in those politics. The Minister has expressed his belief that that mandate is protected in the Bill. We all have different ways of going about things, and use different language, to ensure that the democratic process within a students' union is protected and that students' elected representatives are their voice on the board. With a number of our amendments, in particular amendment No. 108 and a number of consequential amendments, we can achieve what the Minister feels is already being provided for in the Bill. There is no harm in cementing that so as to protect the integrity of the process under future Governments and university and board compositions.

I will leave it there. We have discussed at length both inside and outside the Chamber the importance of protecting students' elected representatives on the boards of management of governing bodies.