Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Feb 2000

Vol. 514 No. 3

Written Answers. - Ministerial Appointments.

Alan Shatter

Question:

231 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the appointments made to bodies or agencies by his predecessor in January 2000; the body or agency to which they were appointed; their qualifications and expertise relevant to each appointment; and the start date of each appointment made. [4349/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

The following is a list of appointments made to boards under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children by my predecessor during the month of January 2000.

St. Luke's Hospital Board:

	Date of Appointment
Mr. Padraic White	27/01/00
Mr. Liam Dunbar	27/01/00
Mr. Derry O'Donovan	27/01/00
Ms Noreen Slattery	27/01/00
Mrs. Mary Courtney	27/01/00

National Rehabilitation Board:

	Date of Appointment
Mr. Brendan Ingoldsby	26/01/00

Leopardstown Park Hospital:

	Date of Appointment
Mr. John McGillian (Chairperson)	12/01/00
Ms Monica Walsh	12/01/00
Ms Marie Lewis	12/01/00
Mr. Eddie Matthews	12/01/00
Dr. Tim O'Dwyer	12/01/00
Mr. Alan Burnham	12/01/00
Major Maurice O'Connell	12/01/00
Mr. Nicholas Jermyn	12/01/00

Bord na Radharcmhastoiri:

	Date of Appointment
Dr. Peter Eustace (President)	01/01/00
Mr. Kevin Culliton	01/01/00
Mr. Errol Little	01/01/00
Mr. Peter Davison	01/01/00
Mr. Patrick Brady	01/01/00
Mr. Alfred Vize	01/01/00
Ms Helen Carroll	01/01/00
Dr. Richard Shanahan	01/01/00
Dr. Aisling Foley-Nalon	01/01/00
Dr. Alison Blake	01/01/00
Mr. Peter Tormey	01/01/00

Beaumont Hospital Board:

	Date of Appointment
Mr. Peter F. Webster (Chair)	24/01/00
Ms Dymphna Clune	24/01/00
Ms Kitty O'Neill	24/01/00
Ms Aileen Barrett	24/01/00
Prof. Joseph J. Walshe	24/01/00

Advisory Committee for Human Medicines

(Irish Medicines Board)

	Date of Appointment
Dr. Patrick O'Sullivan	25/01/00
Dr. Kevin Connolly	25/01/00

Eastern Regional Health Authority:

	Date of Appointment
Mrs. Joyce Andrews	27/01/00
Mr. Gerard Brady	27/01/00
Mr. Martin Cowley	27/01/00
Mr. Joe Fallon	27/01/00

	Date of Appointment
Mr. Paul Ledwidge	27/01/00
Mr. Michael Murphy	27/01/00
Councillor Catherine Quinn	27/01/00
Mr. Patrick Aspell	27/01/00
Mr. Laurence Butler	27/01/00
Mr. John Dolan	27/01/00
Mr. Larry Tuomey	27/01/00
Ms Anne Harris	27/01/00

The start date of each appointment is the date of appointment with the exception of the board of the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA. The establishment date for the ERHA is 1 March 2000. However, the board of the new authority is meeting informally prior to the establishment date in order to facilitate the transfer of functions from the Eastern Health Board, EHB, to the new authority.

With regard to the Deputy's question regarding the qualifications and expertise relevant to each appointment, arrangements for the selection of board members vary considerably. In the case of some boards, for example, health boards and An Bord Altranais, the majority of members are elected representatives. In other cases the nominating bodies for certain members are laid down by statute, for example, St. James's Hospital board. In further cases it has been the practice to consult with appropriate organisations and following such consultations draw up a list of persons suitable for appointment, for example, Comhairle na nÓspidéal and Beaumont Hospital board.

In nominating any board under the aegis of the Department the needs of the board itself are taken into account and the Minister of the day will have consulted widely before making nominations even where no procedure is laid down.