Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There probably are key competencies that students can bring in terms of what will or will not be effective in encouraging persons to exercise their franchise. I doubt there is any marketing expert who can compare with what the student unions often have to bring in terms of engaging that constituency. Sadly, this is an area in respect of which a signal is needed centrally because without that kind of national signal, I doubt that many of the higher education institutions will, in fact, nominate a student. I hope that some will. In the case of the HEA board, we know there was a decision to send a signal that there should be such a representative so we did not simply have to wait and see. Some institutions did look for and support student representation but other institutions really had to be pressed to do so, and it was similar in regard to trade union representation. That is fine. We hope the same outcome will come about but we disagree in terms of the approach. I will press amendment No. 32.