Skip to main content
Normal View

Appointments to State Boards.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2005

Tuesday, 25 October 2005

Questions (3, 4, 5, 6)

Enda Kenny

Question:

3 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach the appointments made by him since June 2002 to State boards or other agencies under his aegis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24237/05]

View answer

Trevor Sargent

Question:

4 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the appointments which he has made to State boards or other agencies since January 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25192/05]

View answer

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

5 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the appointments made by him since 2002 to boards or agencies operating under the auspices of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26559/05]

View answer

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

6 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Taoiseach the appointments to State boards and other agencies made by him since June 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27683/05]

View answer

Oral answers (59 contributions)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, together.

The information sought by the Deputy concerning the names of the persons appointed by me since June 2002 to State boards and agencies under my Department's aegis, namely the National Statistics Board, the Law Reform Commission, the National Centre for Partnership and Performance, the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum, is set out in a schedule which I am circulating with the Official Report for the information of the House.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Boards and Agencies under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach

1 The National Statistics Board

2 The Law Reform Commission

3 The National Centre for Partnership and Performance, NCPP

4 The National Economic and Social Council, NESC

5 The National Economic and Social Forum, NESF

State Board/Agency

Position Held

Name

Organisation

Date of Appointment

National Statistics Board

Mr. Frank Cunneen

Health and Safety Authority

February 2004

Mr. Ciarán Dolan

ICMSA

February 2004

Ms Paula Carey

ICTU

February 2004

Ms Marian Harkin

Teacher

August 2001

Ms Mary Doyle

Department of the Taoiseach

February 2004

Professor Brendan Walsh

University College Dublin

February 2004

Dr. Pat O’Hara

Western Development Commission

February 2004

Mr. Derek Moran

Department of Finance

July 2003 February 2004

Law Reform Commission

Commissioner (Full-time)

Patricia T. Rickard-Clarke,

Solicitor

Reappointed 30 September 2004

Commissioner (Part-time)

Professor Finbar McAuley, BCL, LLB, MPhil, LLD,

Jean Monnet Professor of European Criminal Justice, UCD

reappointed 1 September 2004

President

Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness

Judge of the Supreme Court

22 February 2005 replaced Hon. Mr. Justice Declan Budd

Marian Shanley

Solicitor

re-appointed 12 November 2004

National Economic and Social Council

Chairperson

Dermot McCarthy

Secretary General Department of the Taoiseach

September 2003

Deputy Chairperson

Mary Doyle

Assistant Secretary Department of the Taoiseach

September 2003

Trade Union Pillar Nominees

Dave Begg

General Secretary, ICTU

September 2003

Peter McLoone

General Secretary, IMPACT

September 2003

Manus O’Riordan

SIPTU

September 2003

Joan Carmichael

ICTU

September 2003

Jack O’Connor

SIPTU

September 2003

Sally Ann Kinahan

ICTU

January 2004 (replaced Joan Carmichael)

Business and Employer or Organisation Pillar Nominees

Brian Geoghegan

IBEC

September 2003

John Dunne

CCI

September 2003

Liam Kelleher

CIF

September 2003

Brendan Butler

IBEC

September 2003

Aileen O’Donoghue

IBEC

September 2003

Agricultural and Farming Organisation Pillar Nominees

Seamus O’Donohue

Irish Co-operative Organisation Society

September 2003

Ciarán Dolan

ICMSA

September 2003

Michael Berkery

General Secretary, IFA

September 2003

Con Lucey

Chief Economist, IFA

September 2003

Damian McDonald

Macra na Feirme

September 2003

Community and Voluntary Pillar Nominees

Fr. Seán Healy

CORI

September 2003

Dónal Geoghegan

National Youth Council

September 2003

Deirdre Garvey

The Wheel

September 2003

John Mark McCafferty

Saint Vincent de Paul

September 2003

John Dolan

Disability Federation of Ireland

September 2003

Government Department Nominees

Tom Considine

Secretary General Dept of Finance

September 2003

Seán Gorman

Secretary General Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Replaced Paul Haran

John Hynes

Secretary General, Dept of Social and Family Affairs

September 2003

Brendan Tuohy

Secretary General, Dept of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources

September 2003

Niall Callan

Department Environment, Heritage & Local Government

September 2003

Independent Nominees

John Fitzgerald

ESRI

September 2003

Colin Hunt

Goodbody Stockbrokers

September 2003

Brigid Laffan

UCD

September 2003

Eithne McLaughlin

Queens University

September 2003

Peter Bacon

Economic Consultant

September 2003

Dr. Seán Barrett

Economic Consultant

January 2005 replaced Colin Hunt

There have been no new Government nominees to the council of the National Centre for Partnership and Performance since its establishment. However, the nominees of the bodies represented on the council have changed as a result of individual retirements and internal organisational change within IBEC, the CIF and ICTU.

State Board/Agency

Position Held

Name

Organisation

Date of Appointment

National Centre for Partnership and Performance

Executive Chairperson

Vacant

Government Departments

Mr. John Walsh, Asst. Secretary

Dept/Enterprise, Trade & Employment

June 2002 replaced Maurice Cashell

Employers

Mr. Morgan Nolan

Industrial Relations Executive, CIF

January 2004 replaced Terry McEvoy

Trade Unions

Mr. Fergus Whelan

Industrial Officer, ICTU

October 2003 replaced Mr. Tom Wall

Mr. Des Geraghty

Member of Executive Council, ICTU

September 2004 replaced Mr John Tierney, MSF

Ms Angela Kirk

IMPACT

September 2004 replaced Ms Marie Levis

National Economic & Social Forum Full Membership 2004

Independent Chairperson

Maureen Gaffney

January/February 2004

Deputy Chairperson

Mary Doyle

Asst. Sec., Dept. of the Taoiseach

January/February 2004

Independent Appointments

Dr. Mary P. Corcoran

Senior Lecturer, NUI, Maynooth

January/February 2004

Cáit Keane

South Dublin County Council

January/February 2004

Dr. Colm Harmon

Director, Institute for the Study of Social Change, UCD

January/February 2004

Mr. Brian Nolan

Research Professor, ESRI

January/February 2004

Mr. Paul Tansey

Economist

January/February 2004

Strand (i) Oireachtas

Michael Woods

Fianna Fáil TD

January/February 2004

John Curran

Fianna Fáil TD

January/February 2004

Senator Mary O’Rourke

Fianna Fáil

January/February 2004

Senator Paschal Mooney

Fianna Fáil

Jan/Feb 2004

Senator Brendan Daly

Fianna Fáil

January/February 2004

Senator Geraldine Feeney

Fianna Fáil

January/February 2004

Pat Carey

Fianna Fáil TD

January/February 2004

Senator Paul Coghlan

Fine Gael

Jan/Feb 2004

Damien English

Fine Gael TD

January/February 2004

Paul Kehoe

Fine Gael TD

January/February 2004

Joan Burton

Labour TD

January/February 2004

Willie Penrose

Labour TD

January/February 2004

Senator Kate Walsh

Progressive Democrats

January/February 2004

Senator Feargal Quinn

Independents

January/February 2004

Jerry Cowley TD

Technical Group

January/February 2004

Strand (ii) Employer/Trade Unions

Employer/Business Organisations

Jackie Harrison

IBEC

January/February 2004

Heidi Lougheed

IBEC

January/February 2004

Patricia Callan

Small Firms Association

January/February 2004

Kevin Gilna

Construction Industry Federation

January/February 2004

Carmel Mulroy

Chambers of Commerce/Tourist Industry/Exporters Association

January/February 2004

Maria Cronin

IBEC

October/November 2004 replaced Jackie Harrison

Seán Murphy

Chamber of Commerce

replaced Carmel Mulroy

Trade Unions

Éamon Devoy

Technical Engineering & Electrical Union

January/February 2004

Blair Horan

Civil & Public Service Union

January/February 2004

Jerry Shanahan

AMICUS

January/February 2004

Manus O’Riordan

SIPTU

January/February 2004

Paula Carey

ICTU

January/February 2004

Agricultural/Farming Organisations

Mary McGreal

Irish Farmers Association

January/February 2004

Michael Doody

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association

January/February 2004

Mary Johnson

Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society

January/February 2004

Carmel Brennan

Macra na Feirme

January/February 2004

Anne Murray

Irish Country Women’s Association

January/February 2004

Strand (iii) Community & Voluntary Sector

Women’s Organisations

Frances Byrne

National Women’s Council of Ireland

January/February 2004

Joanna McMini

National Women’s Council of Ireland

January/February 2004

Orla O’Connor

Frances Byrne

replaced Frances Byrne

Unemployed

June Tinsley

INOU

January/February 2004

Patricia Short

ICTU Centres for the Unemployed

January/February 2004

Disadvantaged

Sr. Brigid Reynolds

CORI

January/February 2004

John-Mark McCafferty

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

January/February 2004

Sharon Keane

Anti-Poverty Networks

January/February 2004

Audrey Deane

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

November 2004 replaced John-Mark McCafferty

Youth/Children

Malcolm Byrne

NYCI

January/February 2004

Raymond Dooley

Children’s Rights Alliance

January/February 2004

Marie Claire McAleer

NYCI

replaced Malcolm Byrne

Jillian Van Turnhout

Children’s Rights Alliance

replaced Raymond Dooley

Older People

Robin Webster

National Council for Aging and Older People/Senior Citizen’s Parliament/Age Action

January/February 2004

Others

Seán Gallagher

The Carers Association

January/February 2004

Séamus Boland

Irish Rural Link

January/February 2004

Fergus O’Ferrall

The Wheel

January/February 2004

Frank Goodwin

Carers Association

Replaced Sean Gallagher

Strand (iv) Central Government, Local Government and Independents

Central Government

Tom Considine

Secretary General, Dept. Finance

January/February 2004

Paul Haran

Secretary General, Dept. Enterprise, Trade & Employment

January/February 2004

John Hynes

Secretary General, Dept. Social & Family Affairs

January/February 2004

Gerry Kearney

Secretary General, Dept. Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs

January/February 2004

Niall Callan

Secretary General, Dept. Environment, Heritage & Local Government

January/February 2004

Local Government

Councillor John Egan

General Council of County Councils

January/February 2004

Councillor Patsy Treanor

General Council of County Councils

January/February 2004

Councillor Constance Hanniffy

General Council of County Councils

January/February 2004

Councillor Patricia McCarthy

Association of Municipal Authorities

January/February 2004

Donal O’Donoghue

County and City Managers Association

January/February 2004

Councillor Ger Barron

General Council of County Councils

November 2004 replaced Cllr. John Egan

Councillor Jack Crowe

General Council of County Councils

November 2004 replaced Patsy Treanor

John Tierney

County & City Managers Association

November 2004 replaced Donal O’Donoghue

Independents

Dr. Colm Harmon

Institute for the Study of Social Change, UCD

January/February 2004

Dr. Mary P. Corcoran

Department of Sociology

January/February 2004

Dr. Brian Nolan

ESRI

January/February 2004

Paul Tansey

Tansey, Webster, Stewart & Company Ltd.

January/February 2004

Cáit Keane

South Dublin County Council

January/February 2004

I look forward to seeing the report. The Taoiseach and his Government are not the only ones who have been guilty of this. There has been a tradition during the interregnum between elections being called and held of making appointments to State boards. The previous Minister for Finance made 57 appointments to four State bodies the day before he moved to his new position. I acknowledge that, if an analysis was made, all Governments have probably taken similar actions. I do not know if the Ceann Comhairle did the same when he was about to leave his position as Minister. I say this in case he is about to jump in to stop me.

The Ceann Comhairle cannot be drawn into any debates in the House.

Deputy Kenny's predecessor certainly believed in that.

He probably followed general regulations. Will the Taoiseach agree that, irrespective of when the next election is called or caused and the Ministers concerned, there will be no appointments made to State boards during that period?

We will never get them to agree to that.

The former Minister for Equality and Law Reform and Labour Deputy, Mr.Mervyn Taylor, laid down a Cabinet agreement for 40% representation of women on State boards. That probably applies to the Taoiseach's Department. Does such a case remain Government policy? Will the Taoiseach encourage his Ministers to follow through on that?

Finally, will he confirm that a person who had to resign from a State board as a result of surrounding publicity — I refer to the Northern Bank and Mr. Flynn — is still in receipt of payments for work done for a State agency, the HSE?

That does not arise, it is outside these questions.

It does.

It is a different question. The question refers specifically to appointments made by the Taoiseach since January 2005.

The Taoiseach might want to confirm that the appointment had been made.

On such questions, many of my predecessors ruled that when a reply is to be printed in the Official Report and not given orally, Members should await the reply rather than pursue the matter by supplementary questions.

We are people of little patience, as the Ceann Comhairle knows.

It does not make sense that supplementary questions be asked when the reply to the main question is not known.

The Ceann Comhairle can set a precedent.

My predecessors have strictly enforced that ruling as far back as the 1920s.

I am sure that when the Ceann Comhairle sat on this side of the House, he was aggressive in asking questions.

In fairness to Deputy Kenny, my reply will not help him on his last question. The person concerned is engaged in one area as far as I know. I am not sure if he is in receipt of payment but I presume he is. However, he is off all the boards with which my Department is involved or that are connected with social partnership.

On Deputy Kenny's first question, I readily admit that we do not serve ourselves well in this House. It might sound efficient or smart but is not a bright idea. The last time, I managed to curtail it reasonably well but, because the Government was returning, it may not have made as much difference. I do not think that just packing these things up on the way out ——

The polls were good then. It is different now.

They were being carefully tracked.

They were doing even better when the Minister, Deputy McDowell, was going up the ladder.

Deputy Rabbitte knows how they go up and down. On State boards, the answer is "Yes". In all the names that come before Government, we endeavour to ensure we keep to the percentage. It is not always maintained by Departments and certainly not by the organisations that have nominating rights to boards. It is an ongoing difficulty which does not only concern social partners but many organisations which insist on sending male nominees. That is something of which they are always guilty, but we continue to try deal with that.

Has the Taoiseach had time to reflect on his appointments to the National Consumer Agency? The Consumers' Association of Ireland has worked on behalf of consumers for many years. I ask the Taoiseach whether the appointment of Ms Celia Larkin is to be taken into account——

The Chair has ruled on the matter of supplementaries. Furthermore, these questions refer specifically to the Taoiseach's Department but the National Consumer Agency is the responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

There is an element of collective responsibility involved here on which the Taoiseach might want to comment.

The Chair has ruled on the matter.

I appreciate the Chair is being strict in its adherence to——

The Chair is being fair in implementing the Standing Order that applies.

In fairness to the Consumers' Association of Ireland the Chair might allow a little latitude.

If the Deputy has a question for the appropriate Minister, I suggest he submits one to that Minister.

I will pass on the message.

Does the Taoiseach agree that it would be a useful innovation to respond on the hoof to Deputy Kenny's suggestion that there would not be any appointments made in the interregnum in future?

Does the Deputy mean forever more?

Yes, forever more.

I will think about that. I do not believe the House — and I have sat on this side and on the opposite side——

On this side more often.

I have been on the opposite side for many periods.

It will not be long now.

I do not believe the House serves itself well by making appointments in the interregnum. I have argued that point on the opposite side of the House and in Government, but I have not always won the argument. The situation following an election is different. I will not go into the argument. I could argue that Members on both sides have done this. I am not sure if I am guilty of having done it, but it is not good for the House. Having spent a considerable amount of my working life here, I have a great respect for the House. It is not a good practice.

Except on Thursdays.

I might have some influence if it arises again. I would not like to start a practice, as has happened on many occasions in the past, only for it to be ignored by others on taking office. I always make a virtue of initiating such practices and then others turn around and do the complete opposite and one is left looking silly. Unless there was real agreement on this proposal, I would not be interested in it.

If an honourable agreement was entered into, the Taoiseach could rely on us that it would be adhered to. Is the Taoiseach saying he cannot control, for example, what the Minister, Deputy Roche — to whom I refer simply because he is sitting beside the Taoiseach — might do, in that, if the Minister wants to rush off and make a number of appointments, the Taoiseach can only caution or advise him? Surely, the Taoiseach could set down policy on this matter for his Government and it would be seen as one very small but welcome step for politics.

If it ever arises, I might show a good example.

That sounds as if it might not arise.

A Deputy

It probably will not.

It is difficult to get a commitment from the Taoiseach on this. He has told us he generally agrees this is not good for politics and public life.

I do not believe we did it on the last occasion. I probably have the best record on this.

The Taoiseach may have. I am not making any insinuations about his record.

The Taoiseach should take a chance on this.

I am merely trying to clarify that there would be that type of bipartisan approach that appointments made in this fashion during the interregnum diminish politics and that there ought to be an agreement and understanding that it would not be done. I ask the Taoiseach, as the man in charge at the moment, whether he agrees.

I answered Deputy Kenny's earlier question on this. There may be cases where it is essential that this is done, but generally filling all appointments in the interregnum — Deputy Kenny was honourable in admitting it has happened on all sides of the House — is not good practice. It does not look good to the members of the public. Anything that affects the House negatively in terms of how it is viewed by members of the public is bad for politics. On that basis I agree with the proposal but there would need to be an understanding on it. We are not too bad at understanding such practices. There should not be a practice of simply making appointments to fill boards in the event of a change of Government. Certainly if this arises with me, I will try to do the honourable thing.

I hope the Taoiseach will try hard.

In the dim, distant future.

Prepositions are very important.

Will the Taoiseach acknowledge the desirability of State boards having a truly national and all-Ireland outlook and approach to their work? For example, in regard to future vacancies on the National Economic and Social Forum would he look to appointments north of the Border in a raft of areas, including local government, trade unions, community and voluntary and business and farmer representation? It would be appropriate to have representatives from all over the island of Ireland. Will the Taoiseach consider that issue in regard to casual vacancies that may arise and also in regard to the five Government appointees on the next round? Will he consider looking at the appointments in the context of an all-Ireland approach? If he does not have the answer to my last point perhaps he will come back to me on it. Is legislation required to address the representation on the NESF or any of the other bodies described as national and being State appointed?

For once I can agree with Deputy Ó Caoláin. On the last occasion I appointed a Government nominee from Northern Ireland to the board of NESF, Eithne McLaughlin, from Queens University. I am open to making similar appointments to other boards where there are suitable candidates. There is a benefit in having an all Ireland representation, in regard to the implementation bodies and other bodies. If there are suitable candidates in Northern Ireland, and there are many, who would bring expertise to bear, we will appoint them. In areas such as health we have worked in co-operation with people in Northern Ireland in radiological work to treat cancers. This has worked very well. We have been working closely with people in Northern Ireland. There is an all-island basis with regard to many of these issues and I am in favour of working together to address common problems.

The Taoiseach has acknowledged the importance of this and has indicated one appointment. Will he enhance that approach by ensuring greater representation in the future?

On that board there are only five members, one of whom is from Northern Ireland. Where there is expertise and where good people from Northern Ireland are prepared to serve on a board, I have no difficulty with that. It is an area I will look at as vacancies arise.

Top
Share