Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

While I appreciate the gender balance issue, gender equality expertise is the piece that is explicitly being sought. When we talk about these representative bodies, the member would, of course, be a member of a board and would have to operate for the good of the board. The question is about that expertise, however. We know there is an expertise that comes from having engagement with a huge, broad swathe of a constituency on an issue. Unions have that expertise. Indeed, the National Women's Council of Ireland has that expertise.

I would like to come back on amendment No. 15, which I do not believe the Minister addressed, in respect of expertise relating to our domestic and international legal obligations. It is something that was brought to my attention in the context of the debate on this legislation in the Dáil, which I had not seen. I believe Deputy Ó Cathasaigh tabled amendments regarding arms companies and cluster munitions legislation. The Minister indicated in her response that specific direction could not be provided to auto-enrolment providers as it is not public money. However, this legislation calls for the matching of State funds to contributions made by employers and employees. This is public money that is collectively being contributed in an investment in the security of the population's future in their pensions. I am extremely concerned that there is a suggestion that somehow there is a loophole here and we do not have to worry about investment in cluster bombs or arms manufacturers just because some other people are putting money in as well. I want to be explicitly clear that our cluster munitions legislation outlaws direct or indirect funding of any kind of munitions manufacture. However, the Minister's reply in the Dáil seems to suggest that she does not believe that legislation is a concern for us with regard to this scheme. The Minister might clarify or elaborate on that because it is a very significant issue.