Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will respond to specifically to the issue of the civil servants. It is certainly the case in our National Monuments Service and National Parks and Wildlife Service that the civil servants are scientists, entomologists, botanists and archaeologists. Throughout the Civil Service, there are professional, relevant skills. Under section 6, the Minister shall ensure, in so far as is practicable, this range of skills shall be included in the soup the Senator speaks about. It is critically important to note these are not just generalists. There are specialists throughout the civil service who provide a broad range of scientific and relevant skills that could really bolster the board.