Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 8

Written Answers. - State and Semi-State Bodies.

Alan Shatter

Question:

54 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline in relation to each State and semi-State company under the aegis of his Department the companies which have a code of conduct delineating the activities which board members and employees of such bodies can engage in to ensure that an actual or potential conflict of interest does not arise vis-á-vis their duties as members and/or employees of such State bodies and other activities; the way in which this code of conduct, if any, is monitored by his Department; if he will make available in full, any such code of conduct stating the State and semi-State bodies to which it applies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Daly)

There is no State or semi-State commercial company under the aegis of my Department.

Coiste an Asgard which is a company limited by guarantee and is established for the management of the sail training vessel Asgard II, operates under the aegis of my Department. Its articles of association provide that a director of the company shall disclose any interest he may have in any contract into which An Coiste are about to enter and a director may not vote in respect of any contract in which he is interested or any matter arising thereout.

Failure by a director to disclose the nature of his interest in a contract or proposed contract will result in his removal from office.

The staff of An Coiste comprises a secretary, an administrative assistant and five regular crew members. A principal officer of my Department is a member of the board of An Coiste and monitors the activities of the board and the employees of An Coiste.