The only semi-State bodies under the aegis of my Department are the National Pensions Board, the Pensions Board and the Combat Poverty Agency.
The only person appointed by me to boards of State bodies under the aegis of my Department since 18 October 1991, is Mr. John Hynes, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare, who has been appointed as my Department's representative on the Pensions Board.
Following Government consideration of the matter, guidelines have been prepared by the Minister for Finance on the governance of State bodies. I have written to the chairman of each of the semi-State bodies operating under the aegis of my Department enclosing a copy of these guidelines and requesting that they be given immediate implementation.
Under the guidelines all appointees to the boards of State bodies are required to furnish details of all their business interests to the secretary to the body. It is up to the board of each State body to ensure that these arrangements are adhered to and that no conflict of interests arises. The guidelines do not require the publication of declared interests.
Provision is made in the legislation setting up both the Combat Poverty Agency and the Pensions Board for the disclosure by members of the board of any direct or indirect interest they may have in a company or concern with which the agency or board propose to make a contract, that such disclosures shall be recorded in the minutes and that in such circumstances the member concerned will not take part in deliberations relating to the contract in question.
